How and why to dispose of your old TV properly
http://bit.ly/uJWRmN
Upgrading your home theater- let our techs help! Visit GeeksOnCall.com
Thursday, October 27, 2011
How -- and why -- to dispose of your old TV properly
msnbc.com - 10/27/2011
Gary Merson
So you just bought a new flat panel to replace your old television. Before you throw that old TV into the local dump, you should be aware of how many toxic materials are in it, especially old-style cathode ray tube (CRT) sets.
Picture tubes contain pounds of toxic lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium. The cabinets and circuit boards contain brominated flame-retardants. Want more? HD Guru recently discovered a number of front projectors, including business models sold today, that contain lamps with Krypton 85, a radioactive isotope!
Fortunately, the radiation level is low and safe according to the European Lamp Companies Federation and based on IAEC standards.
How bad are these other toxins we listed? Mercury poisoning can cause tremors, emotional changes, insomnia, neuromuscular changes, headaches, disturbances in sensations and cognitive function performance deficits. At higher exposures, there may be kidney effects, respiratory failure and even death, according to the EPA.
The lower and long-term exposure to cadmium through air or diet can cause kidney damage, the EPA says.
High levels of brominated flame-retardants can alter pregnant women's thyroid hormones, which are critical to a baby's growth and brain development, according to a University of California study.
HD Guru spoke with David Thompson, director of the Corporate Environment Department at Panasonic. He also is president of the Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Co. (MRM) a nationwide e-waste recycling program.
Thompson explained that new plasmas and LCDs have eliminated many of the toxins in TVs. Panasonic stopped using lead in solder in 2006 plasmas and greatly reduced the amount of fire retardant. Plasmas and LED LCDs are mercury free, but not "regular" LCDs, which all contain the toxin in their cold-cathode florescent lamps (CCFL) behind the screen.
How to properly dispose of TVs
There are several recycling choices available to consumers. Best Buy allows the drop-off any CRT TVs with screens up to 32 inches, or any flat panels with screens up to 60 inches. However, our local store manager claimed they do not accept any screens above 32 inches, and the only way Best Buy would accept the TV was to pay for a $100 home pickup!
After a long conversation between national customer service and the local store's operations manager, the manager relented and now will allow consumers to drop off a 42-inch flat panel in compliance with Best Buy's corporate recycling policy as stated on its website. We worry the rules may change again when a customer arrives at the store.
MRM Recycling provides a list of drop-off recycling sites based on ZIP code. What the location accepts, according to the website, is limited to the brands noted after inputting your ZIP code. Again, we ran into a problem. After contacting a local drop-off site, the listing turned out to be incorrect and the location did not accept e-waste.
We checked out our local town sanitation department. While the town allows drop-off at our local dump or at designated locations on specific days, they continue to permit curbside pickup of TVs. However, the TVs end up in the local landfill and not recycled!
We recommend readers check the MRM website, your sanitation departments, or confirm your local Best Buy's drop-off policy before hauling a TV there and finding the store doesn't comply with its own policies.
TVs should never be tossed in the garbage, letting their toxic materials seep into the environment.
Upgrading your home theater- let our techs help! Visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity
Gary Merson
So you just bought a new flat panel to replace your old television. Before you throw that old TV into the local dump, you should be aware of how many toxic materials are in it, especially old-style cathode ray tube (CRT) sets.
Picture tubes contain pounds of toxic lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium. The cabinets and circuit boards contain brominated flame-retardants. Want more? HD Guru recently discovered a number of front projectors, including business models sold today, that contain lamps with Krypton 85, a radioactive isotope!
Fortunately, the radiation level is low and safe according to the European Lamp Companies Federation and based on IAEC standards.
How bad are these other toxins we listed? Mercury poisoning can cause tremors, emotional changes, insomnia, neuromuscular changes, headaches, disturbances in sensations and cognitive function performance deficits. At higher exposures, there may be kidney effects, respiratory failure and even death, according to the EPA.
The lower and long-term exposure to cadmium through air or diet can cause kidney damage, the EPA says.
High levels of brominated flame-retardants can alter pregnant women's thyroid hormones, which are critical to a baby's growth and brain development, according to a University of California study.
HD Guru spoke with David Thompson, director of the Corporate Environment Department at Panasonic. He also is president of the Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Co. (MRM) a nationwide e-waste recycling program.
Thompson explained that new plasmas and LCDs have eliminated many of the toxins in TVs. Panasonic stopped using lead in solder in 2006 plasmas and greatly reduced the amount of fire retardant. Plasmas and LED LCDs are mercury free, but not "regular" LCDs, which all contain the toxin in their cold-cathode florescent lamps (CCFL) behind the screen.
How to properly dispose of TVs
There are several recycling choices available to consumers. Best Buy allows the drop-off any CRT TVs with screens up to 32 inches, or any flat panels with screens up to 60 inches. However, our local store manager claimed they do not accept any screens above 32 inches, and the only way Best Buy would accept the TV was to pay for a $100 home pickup!
After a long conversation between national customer service and the local store's operations manager, the manager relented and now will allow consumers to drop off a 42-inch flat panel in compliance with Best Buy's corporate recycling policy as stated on its website. We worry the rules may change again when a customer arrives at the store.
MRM Recycling provides a list of drop-off recycling sites based on ZIP code. What the location accepts, according to the website, is limited to the brands noted after inputting your ZIP code. Again, we ran into a problem. After contacting a local drop-off site, the listing turned out to be incorrect and the location did not accept e-waste.
We checked out our local town sanitation department. While the town allows drop-off at our local dump or at designated locations on specific days, they continue to permit curbside pickup of TVs. However, the TVs end up in the local landfill and not recycled!
We recommend readers check the MRM website, your sanitation departments, or confirm your local Best Buy's drop-off policy before hauling a TV there and finding the store doesn't comply with its own policies.
TVs should never be tossed in the garbage, letting their toxic materials seep into the environment.
Upgrading your home theater- let our techs help! Visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
How to Email Like a Pro
http://bit.ly/uwlrWW
Overwhelmed by your inbox? Check out these tips & get more from our techs. See GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/uwlrWW
Overwhelmed by your inbox? Check out these tips & get more from our techs. See GeeksOnCall.com
How to Email Like a Pro
pcworld.com - 10/26/201
Rick Broida
Email often straddles a fine line between help and hindrance. It's an invaluable tool, no doubt about it, but sometimes it can be a stubborn, unwieldy, and intrusive monster--maybe even a security threat.
So who's in charge around here--you or your inbox? With the right tools, services, and knowledge you can tame the unruly email beast. It's time to evolve from email user to email power user, and we've got just the six tips you need.
Start by learning how to add a snooze button to your inbox, then wrangle Gmail to make it smarter and more cooperative. Keep your inbox free of spam with disposable email addresses, then check to make sure your primary addresses haven't been compromised by hackers. Finally, become a master of email signatures, and learn how to send giant files that would normally choke a mail server.
Set Your Email to 'Snooze' So It Comes Back Later
Here's how to make messages bubble back to the top of your inbox--on your schedule.
A crowded inbox can be a productivity killer, if for no other reason than that important messages can get pushed out of sight by newer ones. What you need is a kind of "remind me later" button for email, a way to defer selected messages to a later date or time before they drop "below the fold."
Outlook and Gmail users should check out Baydin's Boomerang, which lets you reschedule email with just a few clicks. Or, if you're not a fan of plug-ins, services like Followup.cc and NudgeMail work with any email system: You just forward a message to a specialized address (tomorrow@nudgemail.com, for example, or nov30@followup.cc), and you're done. The email will reappear in your inbox at the designated time and date. And if you're still not ready to act on the message, just click one of the embedded "snooze" options and go back to sleep--er, work.
Both Followup.cc and NudgeMail are free. Boomerang for Outlook costs $30, though you can try it free for 30 days. Boomerang for Gmail offers its Basic plan (ten messages per month) free of charge; you can upgrade to a Personal plan (unlimited messages) for $5 monthly.
Tame Gmail With Priority Inbox and Dethreaded Conversations
Priority Inbox is Gmail's answer to email overload. By evaluating your reading and replying habits, it predicts which messages are most important and "floats" them to the top of your inbox, corraling the less-important stuff for later viewing. (You can tweak the prediction accuracy by clicking a "plus" or "minus" button for any given email.) It's kind of like having a personal assistant who separates the email wheat from the email chaff.
To enable Priority Inbox, head to your Gmail settings, click the Inbox tab, and then choose Priority Inbox from the "Inbox type" drop-down menu. Then click Save Changes and return to your inbox.
Alternatively, while you're in the settings area, consider turning off one of Gmail's most controversial features: Conversation View, which groups together messages with the same subject line. The longer a message thread gets, and the more people who participate in it, the harder it becomes to find the newest addition--or to review earlier replies. In other words, these "conversations" can quickly turned into muddled, incomprehensible, frustrating messes.
To turn off Conversation View--which will make messages appear one after another (as in most traditional email systems)--click over to the General tab, then set Conversation View to off. Click Save Changes when you're done.
Protect Your Privacy With Disposable Email Addresses
You know the routine: There's some new service, promotion, or online freebie that requires your email address--but you don't want the inevitable deluge of ads, updates, and other inbox spam. How can you sign up without actually sharing your email address?
What you need is a disposable address, one that won't negatively impact your inbox. Suppose you're staring at a registration form and don't want to use your regular email account. Just make up an address (like "ihatespam") and tack on @mailinator.com. Then head to the free Mailinator service and sign in using the address you just created; you'll find a Web-accessible inbox you can use to retrieve your promotional code, download link, or whatever. All Mailinator mail gets deleted within a day.
Mailinator isn't the only disposable-email game in town. Services like 10 Minute Mail, Humaility, and YopMail offer similarly convenient registration-free addresses. And if you're a Firefox user, Less Spam, Please integrates with these services, generating a disposable, reusable email address when you right-click in an email field and choose Insert a temporary mail address. Doesn't get much easier than that.
Instantly Paste Your Choice of Email Signatures
An email signature is a great way to share snippets of contact information: your phone number, Facebook/Twitter addresses, website, and so on. But with most email systems and programs, it's an all-or-nothing affair: signatures are either "on" or "off," and you're limited to just one appended block of text. What if you want to add your signature to some emails but not others? And what if you want to share different contact blurbs with business associates than you do with friends and family?
The solution: an "autotext" or macro program that quickly and automatically turns abbreviated text into expanded blocks of text.
For example, you could create a custom signature that you'll use only with clients and customers, and designate it "bizsig." Then, when you're done composing an email, you just type bizsig at the end. Presto: The autotext program instantly inserts your full business signature.
You could take the same approach for a more generalized signature, designating it "sig1" or the like, then just paste it in as needed. And that's the beauty of this approach: You apply a signature when you want one and skip it when you don't.
A number of programs afford this kind of macro-powered convenience; two of the most popular are AutoHotKey and PhraseExpress. Both are free, but the latter is definitely the more user-friendly of the two. (AutoHotKey requires a bit of scripting.)
Find Out If Your Email Account Has Been Hacked
It seems that every day we hear about another email database being compromised by hackers. The "good" news is that these petty thieves often post the stolen databases online. The bad news is, there's no way to know for sure if your email address has been compromised.
There is now: HackNotifier checks your email address against the growing number of publicly available "hacked" email databases. Just type in your address and click Have I been hacked? If the results are negative, you can rest easy--though you should continue to be diligent about using strong passwords and varying them from site to site.
If the news is not good, HackNotifier will tell you which accounts were compromised and provide more information about the leaks. The service also offers 24/7 account monitoring for $5 per year ($7 if you want instant notification via text message). What it doesn't do is offer any instructions on how to safeguard your email security if an account has been hacked.
Send Super-Huge File Attachments
As a general rule, mail servers don't like large file attachments. While some can accommodate files as large as 25MB, others balk if they exceed just 5MB. In these days of mammoth videos, photo libraries, PDFs, and the like, that doesn't always cut it.
What you need is a file-sharing service that bypasses your mail server. Countless options are available, including such cloud-storage stalwarts as Dropbox and SugarSync (which give you 2GB and 5GB of free space, respectively). You simply upload your file(s) to a public folder, copy the "share" link, and paste that link into an email. The recipients will be able to download the file(s) via the link, effectively taking mail servers out of the equation.
If you'd rather not sign up for yet another service, or you just want a more straightforward way to share your big files, try Ge.tt. In about the time it takes to read this sentence, you can upload a file and get a link to hand out--no registration, software, or plug-ins required. Files remain available for 30 days, or 90 if you elect to sign up for an account (which is free). That account also gives you real-time sharing statistics, something you definitely can't get from email.
On the other hand, if you prefer the traditional (some would say easier) email-attachment method, file-sharing service YouSendIt offers a free Microsoft Outlook plug-in that does an end run around your mail server, while still making big-file sharing as simple as creating an attachment. Note, however, that the maximum file size is 50MB unless you sign up for a Pro account ($10 monthly or $50 per year), which raises the maximum to 2GB.
With these tools in your arsenal, it won't be long before you're sending and sorting email like a pro.
Overwhelmed by your inbox? Check out these tips and get more from our techs- visit geeksoncall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Rick Broida
Email often straddles a fine line between help and hindrance. It's an invaluable tool, no doubt about it, but sometimes it can be a stubborn, unwieldy, and intrusive monster--maybe even a security threat.
So who's in charge around here--you or your inbox? With the right tools, services, and knowledge you can tame the unruly email beast. It's time to evolve from email user to email power user, and we've got just the six tips you need.
Start by learning how to add a snooze button to your inbox, then wrangle Gmail to make it smarter and more cooperative. Keep your inbox free of spam with disposable email addresses, then check to make sure your primary addresses haven't been compromised by hackers. Finally, become a master of email signatures, and learn how to send giant files that would normally choke a mail server.
Set Your Email to 'Snooze' So It Comes Back Later
Here's how to make messages bubble back to the top of your inbox--on your schedule.
A crowded inbox can be a productivity killer, if for no other reason than that important messages can get pushed out of sight by newer ones. What you need is a kind of "remind me later" button for email, a way to defer selected messages to a later date or time before they drop "below the fold."
Outlook and Gmail users should check out Baydin's Boomerang, which lets you reschedule email with just a few clicks. Or, if you're not a fan of plug-ins, services like Followup.cc and NudgeMail work with any email system: You just forward a message to a specialized address (tomorrow@nudgemail.com, for example, or nov30@followup.cc), and you're done. The email will reappear in your inbox at the designated time and date. And if you're still not ready to act on the message, just click one of the embedded "snooze" options and go back to sleep--er, work.
Both Followup.cc and NudgeMail are free. Boomerang for Outlook costs $30, though you can try it free for 30 days. Boomerang for Gmail offers its Basic plan (ten messages per month) free of charge; you can upgrade to a Personal plan (unlimited messages) for $5 monthly.
Tame Gmail With Priority Inbox and Dethreaded Conversations
Priority Inbox is Gmail's answer to email overload. By evaluating your reading and replying habits, it predicts which messages are most important and "floats" them to the top of your inbox, corraling the less-important stuff for later viewing. (You can tweak the prediction accuracy by clicking a "plus" or "minus" button for any given email.) It's kind of like having a personal assistant who separates the email wheat from the email chaff.
To enable Priority Inbox, head to your Gmail settings, click the Inbox tab, and then choose Priority Inbox from the "Inbox type" drop-down menu. Then click Save Changes and return to your inbox.
Alternatively, while you're in the settings area, consider turning off one of Gmail's most controversial features: Conversation View, which groups together messages with the same subject line. The longer a message thread gets, and the more people who participate in it, the harder it becomes to find the newest addition--or to review earlier replies. In other words, these "conversations" can quickly turned into muddled, incomprehensible, frustrating messes.
To turn off Conversation View--which will make messages appear one after another (as in most traditional email systems)--click over to the General tab, then set Conversation View to off. Click Save Changes when you're done.
Protect Your Privacy With Disposable Email Addresses
You know the routine: There's some new service, promotion, or online freebie that requires your email address--but you don't want the inevitable deluge of ads, updates, and other inbox spam. How can you sign up without actually sharing your email address?
What you need is a disposable address, one that won't negatively impact your inbox. Suppose you're staring at a registration form and don't want to use your regular email account. Just make up an address (like "ihatespam") and tack on @mailinator.com. Then head to the free Mailinator service and sign in using the address you just created; you'll find a Web-accessible inbox you can use to retrieve your promotional code, download link, or whatever. All Mailinator mail gets deleted within a day.
Mailinator isn't the only disposable-email game in town. Services like 10 Minute Mail, Humaility, and YopMail offer similarly convenient registration-free addresses. And if you're a Firefox user, Less Spam, Please integrates with these services, generating a disposable, reusable email address when you right-click in an email field and choose Insert a temporary mail address. Doesn't get much easier than that.
Instantly Paste Your Choice of Email Signatures
An email signature is a great way to share snippets of contact information: your phone number, Facebook/Twitter addresses, website, and so on. But with most email systems and programs, it's an all-or-nothing affair: signatures are either "on" or "off," and you're limited to just one appended block of text. What if you want to add your signature to some emails but not others? And what if you want to share different contact blurbs with business associates than you do with friends and family?
The solution: an "autotext" or macro program that quickly and automatically turns abbreviated text into expanded blocks of text.
For example, you could create a custom signature that you'll use only with clients and customers, and designate it "bizsig." Then, when you're done composing an email, you just type bizsig at the end. Presto: The autotext program instantly inserts your full business signature.
You could take the same approach for a more generalized signature, designating it "sig1" or the like, then just paste it in as needed. And that's the beauty of this approach: You apply a signature when you want one and skip it when you don't.
A number of programs afford this kind of macro-powered convenience; two of the most popular are AutoHotKey and PhraseExpress. Both are free, but the latter is definitely the more user-friendly of the two. (AutoHotKey requires a bit of scripting.)
Find Out If Your Email Account Has Been Hacked
It seems that every day we hear about another email database being compromised by hackers. The "good" news is that these petty thieves often post the stolen databases online. The bad news is, there's no way to know for sure if your email address has been compromised.
There is now: HackNotifier checks your email address against the growing number of publicly available "hacked" email databases. Just type in your address and click Have I been hacked? If the results are negative, you can rest easy--though you should continue to be diligent about using strong passwords and varying them from site to site.
If the news is not good, HackNotifier will tell you which accounts were compromised and provide more information about the leaks. The service also offers 24/7 account monitoring for $5 per year ($7 if you want instant notification via text message). What it doesn't do is offer any instructions on how to safeguard your email security if an account has been hacked.
Send Super-Huge File Attachments
As a general rule, mail servers don't like large file attachments. While some can accommodate files as large as 25MB, others balk if they exceed just 5MB. In these days of mammoth videos, photo libraries, PDFs, and the like, that doesn't always cut it.
What you need is a file-sharing service that bypasses your mail server. Countless options are available, including such cloud-storage stalwarts as Dropbox and SugarSync (which give you 2GB and 5GB of free space, respectively). You simply upload your file(s) to a public folder, copy the "share" link, and paste that link into an email. The recipients will be able to download the file(s) via the link, effectively taking mail servers out of the equation.
If you'd rather not sign up for yet another service, or you just want a more straightforward way to share your big files, try Ge.tt. In about the time it takes to read this sentence, you can upload a file and get a link to hand out--no registration, software, or plug-ins required. Files remain available for 30 days, or 90 if you elect to sign up for an account (which is free). That account also gives you real-time sharing statistics, something you definitely can't get from email.
On the other hand, if you prefer the traditional (some would say easier) email-attachment method, file-sharing service YouSendIt offers a free Microsoft Outlook plug-in that does an end run around your mail server, while still making big-file sharing as simple as creating an attachment. Note, however, that the maximum file size is 50MB unless you sign up for a Pro account ($10 monthly or $50 per year), which raises the maximum to 2GB.
With these tools in your arsenal, it won't be long before you're sending and sorting email like a pro.
Overwhelmed by your inbox? Check out these tips and get more from our techs- visit geeksoncall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
5 Ways to Fix a Slow PC
http://bit.ly/uqbBzO
If these tips didn’t help let our Tech take a look- visit GeeksOnCall.com to schedule a visit
http://bit.ly/uqbBzO
If these tips didn’t help let our Tech take a look- visit GeeksOnCall.com to schedule a visit
5 Ways to Fix a Slow PC
nytimes.com - 10/21/2011
PAUL BOUTIN
It seems to happen to most Windows users: You buy a new desktop or laptop PC. It runs fast. But a few months later, you're sure it's slower than it used to be. Ask for help on the Internet or in real life, and you usually get one of two answers: you must have downloaded a virus, or you need to defragment your hard drive. Bad advice. You probably don't have a virus, and Windows doesn't need you to run the defragmenting tool yourself these days. Your problems lie elsewhere.
After suffering with a slower-than-it-used-to-be PC myself, I appealed to Microsoft for help on how to solve the problem. The company came back with five suggestions for getting a Windows machine back to speed.
Check for viruses -- This usually isn't the problem, despite what your MacBook-toting friends tell you, but it's worth a look. If you haven't got antivirus software running already, download the free Microsoft Security Essentials software. If you get the impression that I find this answer annoying, there's a reason: antivirus software itself is almost guaranteed to slow down your computer even more.
Run Windows Update -- If you haven't updated your Windows operating system in a while, there may be speed fixes that Microsoft has published since you bought it. Of course, that doesn't explain why your PC would have actually become slower, but it might improve the problem. Microsoft recommends that you turn on automatic updating, but plenty of readers hate the automatic updates -- they always seem to insist on installing themselves in the middle of a deadline or an important chat session. I prefer to make Windows wait until I tell it to update.
Reduce your Web page history -- This one works for sure. Internet Explorer stores a historical archive of Web sites you have visited. If it gets too big, managing it slows the browser. Microsoft recommends keeping no more than a week's worth of Web history. The company has instructions for how to reduce the size of your history.
Disable add-ons -- Browser add-ons can slow browsing, especially if you install several of them. To disable add-ons, go to the Internet Explorer option Tools -> Manage Add-ons. Other browsers have similar configuration controls.
Free some disk space -- A disk that's running out of space can slow Windows a lot, as it juggles data that it would normally just spit out to the disk. To reclaim space, run the Disk Cleanup tool (Bring up the Start menu and type "disk cleanup tool" into the search box) to remove Internet cache files, clear the Recycling Bin and delete installed programs that you never use.
Still slow? Here's a fast and easy way to get help from the people who make Windows: Log in to Twitter and post a tweet with @MicrosoftHelps in it to get attention from the Microsoft customer support team weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pacific time. Microsoft has plenty of online documentation, but having a human being help you navigate it is much quicker--especially if you're already crawling.
If these tips didn’t help let our Tech take a look- visit GeeksOnCall.com to schedule a visit
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
PAUL BOUTIN
It seems to happen to most Windows users: You buy a new desktop or laptop PC. It runs fast. But a few months later, you're sure it's slower than it used to be. Ask for help on the Internet or in real life, and you usually get one of two answers: you must have downloaded a virus, or you need to defragment your hard drive. Bad advice. You probably don't have a virus, and Windows doesn't need you to run the defragmenting tool yourself these days. Your problems lie elsewhere.
After suffering with a slower-than-it-used-to-be PC myself, I appealed to Microsoft for help on how to solve the problem. The company came back with five suggestions for getting a Windows machine back to speed.
Check for viruses -- This usually isn't the problem, despite what your MacBook-toting friends tell you, but it's worth a look. If you haven't got antivirus software running already, download the free Microsoft Security Essentials software. If you get the impression that I find this answer annoying, there's a reason: antivirus software itself is almost guaranteed to slow down your computer even more.
Run Windows Update -- If you haven't updated your Windows operating system in a while, there may be speed fixes that Microsoft has published since you bought it. Of course, that doesn't explain why your PC would have actually become slower, but it might improve the problem. Microsoft recommends that you turn on automatic updating, but plenty of readers hate the automatic updates -- they always seem to insist on installing themselves in the middle of a deadline or an important chat session. I prefer to make Windows wait until I tell it to update.
Reduce your Web page history -- This one works for sure. Internet Explorer stores a historical archive of Web sites you have visited. If it gets too big, managing it slows the browser. Microsoft recommends keeping no more than a week's worth of Web history. The company has instructions for how to reduce the size of your history.
Disable add-ons -- Browser add-ons can slow browsing, especially if you install several of them. To disable add-ons, go to the Internet Explorer option Tools -> Manage Add-ons. Other browsers have similar configuration controls.
Free some disk space -- A disk that's running out of space can slow Windows a lot, as it juggles data that it would normally just spit out to the disk. To reclaim space, run the Disk Cleanup tool (Bring up the Start menu and type "disk cleanup tool" into the search box) to remove Internet cache files, clear the Recycling Bin and delete installed programs that you never use.
Still slow? Here's a fast and easy way to get help from the people who make Windows: Log in to Twitter and post a tweet with @MicrosoftHelps in it to get attention from the Microsoft customer support team weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pacific time. Microsoft has plenty of online documentation, but having a human being help you navigate it is much quicker--especially if you're already crawling.
If these tips didn’t help let our Tech take a look- visit GeeksOnCall.com to schedule a visit
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Monday, October 24, 2011
Fridge magnet poses security threat to iPad 2
http://bit.ly/n3orwF
Don't get caught unprotected- Your data is important! GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/n3orwF
Don't get caught unprotected- Your data is important! GeeksOnCall.com
Fridge magnet poses security threat to iPad 2
msnbc.com - 10/21/2011
Rosa Golijan
You're security conscious and always make sure that your iPad 2 is locked when you leave it alone for a moment -- but what if that weren't enough to keep an evildoer from accessing your data or apps? What if someone could unlock your iPad 2 by using a simple refrigerator magnet?
Don't laugh -- because they can.
As the folks at 9to5 Mac and the German Apple forum Apfeltalk discovered, it turns out that anyone with an Apple Smart Cover or other magnetic accessory -- including something like a simple fridge magnet -- can gain partial access to a passcode-protected iPad 2.
All this sneaky individual has to do is press down the device's power button (that's the one on the top edge) until "slide to power off" appears on the screen. After that he or she simply slides a magnet along the right edge of the device's screen until it dims briefly and then taps the on-screen "cancel" button.
Ta da!
The perp now has access to whichever app was open when your iPad 2 was locked. If that app was Mail, then he or she can browse through all your messages, and even send some on your behalf. If the open app was Photos, then he or she can now see all your silly snapshots. If the app was Contacts ... well, you get the idea. The magnet trick provides full access to whichever app was open.
If no app was open when the iPad 2 was locked, then the evildoer is able to shuffle around your app icon arrangement ... and search your entire device by swiping over to the Spotlight feature. As you can see in the image below, this means that he or she can see previews of messages or emails simply by guessing at a few random search queries. (This is of course assuming that you haven't changed Spotlight's default settings and forbidden it from searching through certain things.)
Now before you panic too much, it's worth noting that the magnet trick doesn't allow someone complete access to your iPad 2. Attempts to open up any app other than the one which was running when the iPad was locked -- or to open any app while on the home screen -- will fail.
The flaw was discovered after the iOS 5 roll-out, but it's possible that it's been around as long as the iPad 2 has. The first-generation iPad is not affected, as it doesn't have a magnetic sensor for shutting off the screen.
Thankfully, until there's an official fix from Apple, you can protect yourself, though the measure comes with a minor inconvenience. All you have to do is toggle off the "iPad Cover Lock/Unlock" feature. (You can do this under the "General" tab in the "Settings" app.) You'll have to turn off your screen manually when you close the cover, but at least you'll be safe from snooping.
Don't get caught unprotected- Your data is important! GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Rosa Golijan
You're security conscious and always make sure that your iPad 2 is locked when you leave it alone for a moment -- but what if that weren't enough to keep an evildoer from accessing your data or apps? What if someone could unlock your iPad 2 by using a simple refrigerator magnet?
Don't laugh -- because they can.
As the folks at 9to5 Mac and the German Apple forum Apfeltalk discovered, it turns out that anyone with an Apple Smart Cover or other magnetic accessory -- including something like a simple fridge magnet -- can gain partial access to a passcode-protected iPad 2.
All this sneaky individual has to do is press down the device's power button (that's the one on the top edge) until "slide to power off" appears on the screen. After that he or she simply slides a magnet along the right edge of the device's screen until it dims briefly and then taps the on-screen "cancel" button.
Ta da!
The perp now has access to whichever app was open when your iPad 2 was locked. If that app was Mail, then he or she can browse through all your messages, and even send some on your behalf. If the open app was Photos, then he or she can now see all your silly snapshots. If the app was Contacts ... well, you get the idea. The magnet trick provides full access to whichever app was open.
If no app was open when the iPad 2 was locked, then the evildoer is able to shuffle around your app icon arrangement ... and search your entire device by swiping over to the Spotlight feature. As you can see in the image below, this means that he or she can see previews of messages or emails simply by guessing at a few random search queries. (This is of course assuming that you haven't changed Spotlight's default settings and forbidden it from searching through certain things.)
Now before you panic too much, it's worth noting that the magnet trick doesn't allow someone complete access to your iPad 2. Attempts to open up any app other than the one which was running when the iPad was locked -- or to open any app while on the home screen -- will fail.
The flaw was discovered after the iOS 5 roll-out, but it's possible that it's been around as long as the iPad 2 has. The first-generation iPad is not affected, as it doesn't have a magnetic sensor for shutting off the screen.
Thankfully, until there's an official fix from Apple, you can protect yourself, though the measure comes with a minor inconvenience. All you have to do is toggle off the "iPad Cover Lock/Unlock" feature. (You can do this under the "General" tab in the "Settings" app.) You'll have to turn off your screen manually when you close the cover, but at least you'll be safe from snooping.
Don't get caught unprotected- Your data is important! GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Siri lets strangers control some iPhone functions without a password
http://bit.ly/o59xDm
PROTECT YOURSELF! Visit geeksOnCall.com for help
http://bit.ly/o59xDm
PROTECT YOURSELF! Visit geeksOnCall.com for help
Siri lets strangers control some iPhone functions without a password
msnbc.com - 10/19/2011
Bob Sullivan
Apple's new Siri iPhone 4S personal assistant may be a lot of fun, but she's far too willing to talk with strangers, says U.K.-based security research firm Sophos Ltd.
There's been plenty of talk about Siri's funny personality quirks, and how she will respond with sharp wit -- even when owners swear at her or talk dirty to her.
The problem is this same sense of wit wasn't applied to Siri's security settings, according to Sophos.
By default, Siri will take commands from anyone, even if the phone itself is in lock-down mode, researcher Graham Cluleysaid in a blog post. That means a stranger could pick up a locked iPhone 4S and send an e-mail, send a text message or many other things the rightful owner of the gadget can do -- without needing to enter a four-digit passcode.
As software developers are fond of saying, this isn't a bug, it's a feature.
Users who delve into their iPhone security settings will find an option, turned on by default, that says "allow access to Siri when locked with a passcode."
That's a poor security design choice, Cluley said.
"What's disappointing to me though is that Apple had a clear choice here," he said. "They could have chosen to implement Siri securely, but instead they decided to default to a mode which is more about impressing your buddies than securing your calendar and e-mail system," he wrote.
Apple didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Tests at msnbc.com show Siri's friendliness doesn't extend to all iPhone features. She wouldn't read out existing e-mails without prompting users for a passcode.
But msnbc.com's Rosa Golijan found a long list of iPhone features she could perform, even while the phone was locked. She was able to: look up contacts and retrieve full contact information, including nicknames; learn who sent text messages to the owner; make phone calls, including international calls; and turn alarms on and off.
Curiously, Siri refused to do other things: she wouldn't reveal recent call history, for example, or spit out directions. And most critically, when asked to unlock the phone, Siri said, "I'm sorry, I can't do that."
The selective behavior means Apple considered security when creating Siri's locked-phone permissions.
"But there's plenty you can do with the phone locked, and there's a lot of damage you can cause," Golijan said.
Users concerned about Siri being overly friendly can turn off the Siri security bypass in the Settings/General/Passcode Lock menu on their iPhones.
"Those of us who work in the security arena have often banged on about the importance of securing your smartphone with a password or passcode to prevent unauthorized access," Cluley said. "Most mobile phone manufacturers have recognized that as so many people use their smartphones to manage their diaries, their private communications and their social lives, it's good to have some form of security."
PROTECT YOURSELF! Visit geeksOnCall.com now for help
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Bob Sullivan
Apple's new Siri iPhone 4S personal assistant may be a lot of fun, but she's far too willing to talk with strangers, says U.K.-based security research firm Sophos Ltd.
There's been plenty of talk about Siri's funny personality quirks, and how she will respond with sharp wit -- even when owners swear at her or talk dirty to her.
The problem is this same sense of wit wasn't applied to Siri's security settings, according to Sophos.
By default, Siri will take commands from anyone, even if the phone itself is in lock-down mode, researcher Graham Cluleysaid in a blog post. That means a stranger could pick up a locked iPhone 4S and send an e-mail, send a text message or many other things the rightful owner of the gadget can do -- without needing to enter a four-digit passcode.
As software developers are fond of saying, this isn't a bug, it's a feature.
Users who delve into their iPhone security settings will find an option, turned on by default, that says "allow access to Siri when locked with a passcode."
That's a poor security design choice, Cluley said.
"What's disappointing to me though is that Apple had a clear choice here," he said. "They could have chosen to implement Siri securely, but instead they decided to default to a mode which is more about impressing your buddies than securing your calendar and e-mail system," he wrote.
Apple didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Tests at msnbc.com show Siri's friendliness doesn't extend to all iPhone features. She wouldn't read out existing e-mails without prompting users for a passcode.
But msnbc.com's Rosa Golijan found a long list of iPhone features she could perform, even while the phone was locked. She was able to: look up contacts and retrieve full contact information, including nicknames; learn who sent text messages to the owner; make phone calls, including international calls; and turn alarms on and off.
Curiously, Siri refused to do other things: she wouldn't reveal recent call history, for example, or spit out directions. And most critically, when asked to unlock the phone, Siri said, "I'm sorry, I can't do that."
The selective behavior means Apple considered security when creating Siri's locked-phone permissions.
"But there's plenty you can do with the phone locked, and there's a lot of damage you can cause," Golijan said.
Users concerned about Siri being overly friendly can turn off the Siri security bypass in the Settings/General/Passcode Lock menu on their iPhones.
"Those of us who work in the security arena have often banged on about the importance of securing your smartphone with a password or passcode to prevent unauthorized access," Cluley said. "Most mobile phone manufacturers have recognized that as so many people use their smartphones to manage their diaries, their private communications and their social lives, it's good to have some form of security."
PROTECT YOURSELF! Visit geeksOnCall.com now for help
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Google offers encrypted Web search by default
http://bit.ly/roKQOm
For more tips on protecting your devices visit GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/roKQOm
For more tips on protecting your devices visit GeeksOnCall.com
Google offers encrypted Web search by default
cnet.com - 10/18/2011
Elinor Mills
Google announced today that it will encrypt by default Web searches and results for users who are signed in.
People who don't have a Google account or are signed out can go directly to https://www.google.com, the company said in a blog post.
Encrypting the communications between an end user and the Google search engine servers will protect against snooping by anyone who might be sniffing on an unsecured Wi-Fi network, for instance. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is available now for Web search, image search and all the search modes except for Maps, Google said in this seperate post.
For example, when you search over SSL for "dogs," Google encrypts the search and results that are returned, but clicking on a result ends the encrypted connection unless the destination is on "https://."
"Although SSL offers clear privacy and security benefits, it does not protect against all attacks. The benefits of SSL depend on your browser's list of trusted root certificates, the security of the organizations that issue those certificates, and the way in which you and your browser handle certificate warnings," Google says. "In addition, while the connection between your computer and Google will be encrypted, if your computer is infected with malware or a keylogger, a third party might also be able to see the queries that you typed directly."
Google began SSL default in Gmail in January 2010 and began offering an encrypted search option four months later.
For more tips on protecting your devices visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Elinor Mills
Google announced today that it will encrypt by default Web searches and results for users who are signed in.
People who don't have a Google account or are signed out can go directly to https://www.google.com, the company said in a blog post.
Encrypting the communications between an end user and the Google search engine servers will protect against snooping by anyone who might be sniffing on an unsecured Wi-Fi network, for instance. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is available now for Web search, image search and all the search modes except for Maps, Google said in this seperate post.
For example, when you search over SSL for "dogs," Google encrypts the search and results that are returned, but clicking on a result ends the encrypted connection unless the destination is on "https://."
"Although SSL offers clear privacy and security benefits, it does not protect against all attacks. The benefits of SSL depend on your browser's list of trusted root certificates, the security of the organizations that issue those certificates, and the way in which you and your browser handle certificate warnings," Google says. "In addition, while the connection between your computer and Google will be encrypted, if your computer is infected with malware or a keylogger, a third party might also be able to see the queries that you typed directly."
Google began SSL default in Gmail in January 2010 and began offering an encrypted search option four months later.
For more tips on protecting your devices visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Drop test: iPhone 4S vs. Galaxy S II
msnbc.com - 10/17/2011
Wilson Rothman
In case you were wondering whether an iPhone 4S or a Galaxy S II would fare better when dropped onto concrete, I'll give you a little hint: plastic tends to survive where glass does not.
We're not saying there's a lot of scientific method here, but it's amusing, and the folks who make these hot-gadget smasheroo videos, warranty provider SquareTrade, keep their sales spiel to a minimum.
They provide a nice service, but if you're really worried about gear breakage, it's probably better to invest your cash in a good protective case. And as SquareTrade is quick to point out, "We don't cover intentional damage like you see in the video."
Dropped one of your devices lately? Visit GeeksOnCall.com to schedule service now!
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Wilson Rothman
In case you were wondering whether an iPhone 4S or a Galaxy S II would fare better when dropped onto concrete, I'll give you a little hint: plastic tends to survive where glass does not.
We're not saying there's a lot of scientific method here, but it's amusing, and the folks who make these hot-gadget smasheroo videos, warranty provider SquareTrade, keep their sales spiel to a minimum.
They provide a nice service, but if you're really worried about gear breakage, it's probably better to invest your cash in a good protective case. And as SquareTrade is quick to point out, "We don't cover intentional damage like you see in the video."
Dropped one of your devices lately? Visit GeeksOnCall.com to schedule service now!
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Monday, October 17, 2011
Scan for possible spammers on your Twitter
http://bit.ly/qiOVyX
Dont put yourself at risk- visit GeeksOnCall.com to ensure your data is safe
http://bit.ly/qiOVyX
Dont put yourself at risk- visit GeeksOnCall.com to ensure your data is safe
Scan for possible spammers on your Twitter account
cnet.com - 10/13/2011
Nicole Cozma
With so many risks to your accounts and computer on the Web, wouldn't it be nice to know that none of the people you follow on Twitter are adding to those risks? Safego, a Bitdefender product, offers a free service that will scan your Twitter account for suspicious users, links, and messages. It won't take any action without your consent, but it can be set to alert you when a new issue arises. Here's how to get started:
Step 1: Head over to http://ping.fm/2gTAF
Step 2: Log in with your Twitter account. This means the Web site will not need you to sign up for a new account (hooray!).
Step 3: Authorize Safego when prompted by Twitter.
Step 4: Wait as Safego redirects you back to its site and starts scanning your Twitter friends for any suspicious behavior. The more people you follow; the longer this process will take.
Step 5: Once scanning is complete, check out the Friends link on the top banner (next to the Scan Now button). This will change to reflect how many, if any, of your friends are showing suspicious activity.
Step 6: Click on this Friends link to get a list of flagged friends.
Step 7: From the list that appears, you can choose to "unfollow" or clear your flagged friends.
In the notifications area (link at top, or right-hand side on dashboard) you'll see the alerts that are currently disabled. If you'd like to enable any of these to help protect your Twitter account, click on Settings at the top and choose the alerts that work best for you. Additionally, you can use Safego to scan a Twitter user for suspicious activities before you follow them from the Home dashboard.
Don’t put yourself at risk- visit GeeksOnCall.com to ensure your data is safe!
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Nicole Cozma
With so many risks to your accounts and computer on the Web, wouldn't it be nice to know that none of the people you follow on Twitter are adding to those risks? Safego, a Bitdefender product, offers a free service that will scan your Twitter account for suspicious users, links, and messages. It won't take any action without your consent, but it can be set to alert you when a new issue arises. Here's how to get started:
Step 1: Head over to http://ping.fm/2gTAF
Step 2: Log in with your Twitter account. This means the Web site will not need you to sign up for a new account (hooray!).
Step 3: Authorize Safego when prompted by Twitter.
Step 4: Wait as Safego redirects you back to its site and starts scanning your Twitter friends for any suspicious behavior. The more people you follow; the longer this process will take.
Step 5: Once scanning is complete, check out the Friends link on the top banner (next to the Scan Now button). This will change to reflect how many, if any, of your friends are showing suspicious activity.
Step 6: Click on this Friends link to get a list of flagged friends.
Step 7: From the list that appears, you can choose to "unfollow" or clear your flagged friends.
In the notifications area (link at top, or right-hand side on dashboard) you'll see the alerts that are currently disabled. If you'd like to enable any of these to help protect your Twitter account, click on Settings at the top and choose the alerts that work best for you. Additionally, you can use Safego to scan a Twitter user for suspicious activities before you follow them from the Home dashboard.
Don’t put yourself at risk- visit GeeksOnCall.com to ensure your data is safe!
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Friday, October 14, 2011
Phony Netflix Android app steals account data
http://bit.ly/rt0dOC
have you been tricked? Ensure your info is safe- visit GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/rt0dOC
have you been tricked? Ensure your info is safe- visit GeeksOnCall.com
Phony Netflix Android app steals account data
cnet.com - 10/12/2011
Elinor Mills
It looks like a legitimate Netflix app, but it's not. There's an Android app circulating that looks very much like the real Netflix mobile app, but it's actually a Trojan that steals account information.
The fake app, which was found on an online user forum, sends the user's log-in information to a remote server and displays a message saying there is an incompatibility issue with the hardware and then attempts to uninstall itself, according to a Symantec blog posty.
The server that was receiving the stolen log-in data appeared to be offline today, Symantec said.
With the pilfered log-in information, the app creators could hijack accounts and they might have access to some information. However, they won't be able to easily get to the credit card data because the site only displays the last four digits of the card number. So it's unclear how they planned to make money off the scam. It might be a test run for a phony mobile banking app, which could yield access to much more sensitive information.
Typically, malicious apps are versions of legitimate apps that have been modified to include malware and then repackaged and distributed. But in this case, the app is a completely different program.
Confusion over the release of the real Netflix app created an opportunity for the app creators and increased the chances that people would get duped into downloading the malicious app, Symantec said in the post. Netflix offered an Android app in limited release to only certain devices earlier this year, but recently published its app on the Android Market with support for multiple devices.
"A gap in availability, combined with the large interest of users attempting to get the popular service running on their Android device, created the perfect cover for Androidi.Fakenific to exploit," Symantec said.
People should be careful where they get their apps and download them from trusted sources only.
Make sure your data is secure!
Schedule an appointment now at GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Elinor Mills
It looks like a legitimate Netflix app, but it's not. There's an Android app circulating that looks very much like the real Netflix mobile app, but it's actually a Trojan that steals account information.
The fake app, which was found on an online user forum, sends the user's log-in information to a remote server and displays a message saying there is an incompatibility issue with the hardware and then attempts to uninstall itself, according to a Symantec blog posty.
The server that was receiving the stolen log-in data appeared to be offline today, Symantec said.
With the pilfered log-in information, the app creators could hijack accounts and they might have access to some information. However, they won't be able to easily get to the credit card data because the site only displays the last four digits of the card number. So it's unclear how they planned to make money off the scam. It might be a test run for a phony mobile banking app, which could yield access to much more sensitive information.
Typically, malicious apps are versions of legitimate apps that have been modified to include malware and then repackaged and distributed. But in this case, the app is a completely different program.
Confusion over the release of the real Netflix app created an opportunity for the app creators and increased the chances that people would get duped into downloading the malicious app, Symantec said in the post. Netflix offered an Android app in limited release to only certain devices earlier this year, but recently published its app on the Android Market with support for multiple devices.
"A gap in availability, combined with the large interest of users attempting to get the popular service running on their Android device, created the perfect cover for Androidi.Fakenific to exploit," Symantec said.
People should be careful where they get their apps and download them from trusted sources only.
Make sure your data is secure!
Schedule an appointment now at GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Spam messages are down - stay vigilant http://bit.ly/pZkllg
If your computer is infected, we can help! visit GeeksOnCall.com now to schedule
If your computer is infected, we can help! visit GeeksOnCall.com now to schedule
Spam messages are down, but stay vigilant
msnbc.com - 10/13/2011
Athima Chansanchai
In a bi-annual security analysis, spam messages are down, but no one should start breathing any easier.
The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report focused on the first half of 2011 to bring to the surface the dangers often lurking right in front of you as you're going about your daily business on your computers.
(Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)
The 168-page tome is bursting with more insights than we could fit in a blog post, but Ars Technica's take-away intrigued us, too:
In July 2010, 89.2 billion spam messages were blocked by Microsoft's Forefront Online Protection for Exchange service, which is used by thousands of enterprise customers. By June 2011, that monthly total was down to 25 billion.
The report attributes the dramatic downshift to "takedowns of two major botnets: Cutwail, which was shut down in August 2010 , and Rustock, which was shut down in March 2011 following a period of dormancy that began in January. The magnitude of this decrease suggests that coordinated takedown efforts such as the ones directed at Cutwail and Rustock can have a positive effect on improving the health of the email ecosystem."
While overall it seems like measures like these are working, this is no time to yield vigilance. Taking the pre-emptive step of regularly installing security updates "is one of the most fundamental steps that IT departments and individual users can take to reduce their risk from malicious software."
The report found that phishers, which traditionally have targeted financial sites, have now turned their sights on social networks, where they "can effectively target many more people per site. Still, the potential for direct illicitaccess to victims' bank accounts means that financial institutions remain perennially popular phishing targets, and they continue to receive the largest or second-largest number of impressions each month."
Nearly 30 percent are run of the mill advertisements for everyday household and medicine cabinet supplies -- the complete opposite of bringing sexy back. In fact, sexually explicit email only makes up just about five percent of potentially damaging spam messages that were blocked by filters.
Consistent with previous reports, "nonsexual pharmaceutical products" and "nonpharmaceutical product advertisements" together account for the majority of spam messages (28 percent and 17.2, respectively). The third biggest category was the "419" advance-fee loan scams (13.2 percent). These emails were blocked using Microsoft's Forefront Online Protection for Exchange (FOPE), which "scans billions of email messages every year to identify and block spam and malware."
If you want to see what else wants to infiltrate your email, see the pie chart above, which breaks down the kinds of messages that want to grab your attention -- as well as your money and your identity.
If your computer is infected, we can help! visit GeeksOnCall.com now to schedule.
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Athima Chansanchai
In a bi-annual security analysis, spam messages are down, but no one should start breathing any easier.
The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report focused on the first half of 2011 to bring to the surface the dangers often lurking right in front of you as you're going about your daily business on your computers.
(Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)
The 168-page tome is bursting with more insights than we could fit in a blog post, but Ars Technica's take-away intrigued us, too:
In July 2010, 89.2 billion spam messages were blocked by Microsoft's Forefront Online Protection for Exchange service, which is used by thousands of enterprise customers. By June 2011, that monthly total was down to 25 billion.
The report attributes the dramatic downshift to "takedowns of two major botnets: Cutwail, which was shut down in August 2010 , and Rustock, which was shut down in March 2011 following a period of dormancy that began in January. The magnitude of this decrease suggests that coordinated takedown efforts such as the ones directed at Cutwail and Rustock can have a positive effect on improving the health of the email ecosystem."
While overall it seems like measures like these are working, this is no time to yield vigilance. Taking the pre-emptive step of regularly installing security updates "is one of the most fundamental steps that IT departments and individual users can take to reduce their risk from malicious software."
The report found that phishers, which traditionally have targeted financial sites, have now turned their sights on social networks, where they "can effectively target many more people per site. Still, the potential for direct illicitaccess to victims' bank accounts means that financial institutions remain perennially popular phishing targets, and they continue to receive the largest or second-largest number of impressions each month."
Nearly 30 percent are run of the mill advertisements for everyday household and medicine cabinet supplies -- the complete opposite of bringing sexy back. In fact, sexually explicit email only makes up just about five percent of potentially damaging spam messages that were blocked by filters.
Consistent with previous reports, "nonsexual pharmaceutical products" and "nonpharmaceutical product advertisements" together account for the majority of spam messages (28 percent and 17.2, respectively). The third biggest category was the "419" advance-fee loan scams (13.2 percent). These emails were blocked using Microsoft's Forefront Online Protection for Exchange (FOPE), which "scans billions of email messages every year to identify and block spam and malware."
If you want to see what else wants to infiltrate your email, see the pie chart above, which breaks down the kinds of messages that want to grab your attention -- as well as your money and your identity.
If your computer is infected, we can help! visit GeeksOnCall.com now to schedule.
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
BlackBerry Issues Spread To US
http://bit.ly/mYcnXV
Phone glitch- can't call us for help? schedule an appointment online at GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/mYcnXV
Phone glitch- can't call us for help? schedule an appointment online at GeeksOnCall.com
BlackBerry Issues Spread to U.S. as Millions Are Cut Off Worldwide
foxnews.com - 10/12/2011
newswires
BlackBerry service outages spread into the U.S. on Wednesday, following days of disruptions across Europe and Asia that left millions without text communication services and Research in Motion struggling to fix what it called "a switching failure" in its private network.
RIM's official Twitter feed was last updated Tuesday night, saying problems were being resolved and it was sorry for the inconvenience.
Reuters reported that the company was advising large clients of the outage in the Americas as users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India suffered patchy email service and no access to browsing and messaging -- ratcheting up negative sentiments towards a company already losing market share to Apple and Samsung.
RIM, which had said on Tuesday that services had returned to normal, said later the problems had actually spread beyond EMEA and India to Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
"The messaging and browsing delays ... were caused by a core switch failure within RIM's infrastructure," it said. "As a result, a large backlog of data was generated and we are now working to clear that backlog and restore normal service."
The service disruptions are the worst since an outage swept north America two years ago, and come as Apple prepares to put on sale its already sol-out iPhone 4S on Friday.
"It's a blow upon a bruise. It comes at a bad time," said Richard Windsor, global technology specialist at Nomura.
"One possibility could be that it encourages client companies to look more at other options such as allowing users to connect their own devices to the corporate server and save themselves the cost of buying everyone a BlackBerry."
Many companies, no longer seeing the need to pay to be locked into RIM's secure proprietary email service, have already begun allowing employees to use alternative smartphones, particularly Apple's iPhone, for corporate mail.
RIM has made inroads into the youth market attracted by its free BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service, partially compensating for its losses in the corporate market. But new products like its PlayBook tablet computer have been poorly received.
Following a dismal set of quarterly results and a plunge in its share price, some investors are now calling for a break-up, sale or change of management at the company.
Increasingly frustrated users tweeted their frustration on Wednesday. Veteran British entrepreneur Alan Sugar, who founded electronics company Amstrad in 1968, tweeted: "In all my years in IT biz, I have never seen such an outage as experienced by Blackberry. I can't understand why it's taking so long to fix."
Some customers used humor to deal with the situation. One joke making the rounds on Twitter said: "What did the one BBM user say to the other? Nothing."
Phone glitch- can't call us for help?
Schedule an appointment online at GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
newswires
BlackBerry service outages spread into the U.S. on Wednesday, following days of disruptions across Europe and Asia that left millions without text communication services and Research in Motion struggling to fix what it called "a switching failure" in its private network.
RIM's official Twitter feed was last updated Tuesday night, saying problems were being resolved and it was sorry for the inconvenience.
Reuters reported that the company was advising large clients of the outage in the Americas as users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India suffered patchy email service and no access to browsing and messaging -- ratcheting up negative sentiments towards a company already losing market share to Apple and Samsung.
RIM, which had said on Tuesday that services had returned to normal, said later the problems had actually spread beyond EMEA and India to Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
"The messaging and browsing delays ... were caused by a core switch failure within RIM's infrastructure," it said. "As a result, a large backlog of data was generated and we are now working to clear that backlog and restore normal service."
The service disruptions are the worst since an outage swept north America two years ago, and come as Apple prepares to put on sale its already sol-out iPhone 4S on Friday.
"It's a blow upon a bruise. It comes at a bad time," said Richard Windsor, global technology specialist at Nomura.
"One possibility could be that it encourages client companies to look more at other options such as allowing users to connect their own devices to the corporate server and save themselves the cost of buying everyone a BlackBerry."
Many companies, no longer seeing the need to pay to be locked into RIM's secure proprietary email service, have already begun allowing employees to use alternative smartphones, particularly Apple's iPhone, for corporate mail.
RIM has made inroads into the youth market attracted by its free BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service, partially compensating for its losses in the corporate market. But new products like its PlayBook tablet computer have been poorly received.
Following a dismal set of quarterly results and a plunge in its share price, some investors are now calling for a break-up, sale or change of management at the company.
Increasingly frustrated users tweeted their frustration on Wednesday. Veteran British entrepreneur Alan Sugar, who founded electronics company Amstrad in 1968, tweeted: "In all my years in IT biz, I have never seen such an outage as experienced by Blackberry. I can't understand why it's taking so long to fix."
Some customers used humor to deal with the situation. One joke making the rounds on Twitter said: "What did the one BBM user say to the other? Nothing."
Phone glitch- can't call us for help?
Schedule an appointment online at GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Facebook Launches IPad App
http://bit.ly/nkxlLn
Need a tablet to run this new app on? Let our techs help you pick one- visit geeksoncall.com
http://bit.ly/nkxlLn
Need a tablet to run this new app on? Let our techs help you pick one- visit geeksoncall.com
Facebook Launches iPad App, Mobile Platform
foxnews.com - 10/11/2011
AllThingsD
After months of anticipation and leaks, Facebook on Monday launched a mobile app platform and an iPad app.
Facebook users previously had to use their computers for most of their Facebook gaming and app needs, but now they should be able to play and participate from almost any device with a web browser -- and they may get a better experience if it happens to be an Apple iOS device.
Though this launch had been described as an affront to Apple, the new Facebook mobile versions will defer to Apple's native platform and even its payments system whenever possible.
A big reason why Facebook apps, especially games, did not work on phones was because iOS devices do not support Flash. Facebook has helped a select set of developers -- Audiovroom, Branchout, Flixster, Gilt Groupe, Huffington Post, EA, Moblyng, Storm8, Wooga and Zynga -- create HTML5 versions of a selection of their apps and game titles that will work in mobile web browsers.
But HTML5 still does not offer the performance that many complex apps require, so if the developers have created native versions of their apps, they can also connect Facebook users directly to that native app.
Now, when a friend sends you an invitation to play Words With Friends, and you view it on the Facebook app on your iPhone, you can click to play and be taken to the Words With Friends app. If you do not have the app, you will be directed to Apple's App Store.
If you are using an Android phone, you will be taken to an HTML5 version in your mobile web browser. Facebook CTO Bret Taylor told AllThingsD Monday that Facebook is also working on an update to its native Android application.
While many people will appreciate having a more consistent Facebook app experience, this launch also should make it much easier for users to find new mobile apps through their friends. Mobile app discovery has been a huge challenge for developers, and social could help unlock that problem by showing people what apps their friends are using.
"We really hope that we can fill a gap in app discovery here," Taylor said.
On the downside, there is one place Facebook was not able to negotiate a consistent experience for users: payments, which was a major sticking point in ongoing discussions with Apple.
Facebook Credits cannot be used to pay for virtual goods in native iOS apps or mobile web apps running within a Facebook app on iOS. Instead, users will have to buy separate in-app currency through Apple's own in-app payment system. The move comes after Facebook just required all of its game developers to switch to exclusive use of Credits earlier this year.
"We realize there's some inconsistency," Taylor admitted. He would not say if Facebook gets a share of revenue for in-app purchases it refers to Apple.
As for the Facebook iPad app, it has been close to being released for over a year, according to people who have seen it and worked on it -- though the app has changed in scope throughout.
Along with the ability to use Facebook platform apps, the iPad version will feature "an immersive and full-screen photos experience," plus new and speedy chat and messages interfaces, Taylor said.
Need a tablet to run this new app on? Let our techs help you pick one- geeksoncall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
AllThingsD
After months of anticipation and leaks, Facebook on Monday launched a mobile app platform and an iPad app.
Facebook users previously had to use their computers for most of their Facebook gaming and app needs, but now they should be able to play and participate from almost any device with a web browser -- and they may get a better experience if it happens to be an Apple iOS device.
Though this launch had been described as an affront to Apple, the new Facebook mobile versions will defer to Apple's native platform and even its payments system whenever possible.
A big reason why Facebook apps, especially games, did not work on phones was because iOS devices do not support Flash. Facebook has helped a select set of developers -- Audiovroom, Branchout, Flixster, Gilt Groupe, Huffington Post, EA, Moblyng, Storm8, Wooga and Zynga -- create HTML5 versions of a selection of their apps and game titles that will work in mobile web browsers.
But HTML5 still does not offer the performance that many complex apps require, so if the developers have created native versions of their apps, they can also connect Facebook users directly to that native app.
Now, when a friend sends you an invitation to play Words With Friends, and you view it on the Facebook app on your iPhone, you can click to play and be taken to the Words With Friends app. If you do not have the app, you will be directed to Apple's App Store.
If you are using an Android phone, you will be taken to an HTML5 version in your mobile web browser. Facebook CTO Bret Taylor told AllThingsD Monday that Facebook is also working on an update to its native Android application.
While many people will appreciate having a more consistent Facebook app experience, this launch also should make it much easier for users to find new mobile apps through their friends. Mobile app discovery has been a huge challenge for developers, and social could help unlock that problem by showing people what apps their friends are using.
"We really hope that we can fill a gap in app discovery here," Taylor said.
On the downside, there is one place Facebook was not able to negotiate a consistent experience for users: payments, which was a major sticking point in ongoing discussions with Apple.
Facebook Credits cannot be used to pay for virtual goods in native iOS apps or mobile web apps running within a Facebook app on iOS. Instead, users will have to buy separate in-app currency through Apple's own in-app payment system. The move comes after Facebook just required all of its game developers to switch to exclusive use of Credits earlier this year.
"We realize there's some inconsistency," Taylor admitted. He would not say if Facebook gets a share of revenue for in-app purchases it refers to Apple.
As for the Facebook iPad app, it has been close to being released for over a year, according to people who have seen it and worked on it -- though the app has changed in scope throughout.
Along with the ability to use Facebook platform apps, the iPad version will feature "an immersive and full-screen photos experience," plus new and speedy chat and messages interfaces, Taylor said.
Need a tablet to run this new app on? Let our techs help you pick one- geeksoncall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Monday, October 10, 2011
5 Reasons The Amazon Kindle Beats The IPad http://bit.ly/qSaJka
Don't let technology changes intimidate you- see geeksoncall.com for support
Don't let technology changes intimidate you- see geeksoncall.com for support
5 Reasons the Amazon Kindle Beats the iPad
foxnews.com - 10/9/2011
Blake Snow
The Kindle Fire is burning up the charts.
Purported pre-sales of the newly announced Kindle Fire by Amazon suggest the tablet is on track to outsell the iPad in first-month sales. If accurate, that's big -- really big. So far, competing brands have done nothing to rival Apple's splash nor dominance of the growing tablet market. The Fire is the first real competitor.
Apple iPad sales are as brisk as ever, of course, but there's plenty of reason for the excitement surrounding the all-new, color screen, touch-enabled Kindle Fire. To borrow an Apple word, it's different. But it's also similar enough to the iPad that a lot of consumers might view it as a worthy alternative -- indeed, something better.
1. Eye-popping affordability. At $199, the Kindle Fire sells for less than half the price of the iPad, which starts at $500. So for every entry-level iPad bought and sold, you could buy two and a half Fires. That alone is turning heads, especially since the previously released and uninspired iPad clones have tried to charge as much as Apple for a much less desired product.
2. A lot more content. Content is king. And iPad may be king of the apps, but Kindle Fire bests it considerably by volume of content. The Fire will have immediate access to the 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books already available on Amazon's easy-to-browse virtual shelves.
Apple doesn't cite how many TV shows or songs are available, but the number appears to be far less in annecdotal searches.
Want to rent instead of buy? There's an app ... er, a solution for that, too: 10,000 movies and TV shows can be streamed instantly. Those numbers are huge, and growing everyday.
3. Free storage. If you want to take all your content with you, the entry-level iPad and its puny 16 gig storage drive leaves a lot to be desired. You can buy more, but it'll cost you. Which is why the Fire's sales pitch -- free cloud storage for all your Amazon content -- is so enticing, especially since Amazon is already the no. 1 digital bookstore, the no. 2 mp3 store (behind Apple), and high on the list in other categories.
For content you don't buy from Amazon, there are about 6 gigs of free space on the Fire to do with as you please.
4. Democratized apps. One of the biggest knocks on the Apple AppStore is that it's a closed system--if Apple doesn't like your stuff, no app for you. One of the biggest knocks on the Google Android software powering nearly every other tablet out there is that it's too open--you're required to sift through a lot of junk to get to the goods.
The Kindle Fire hopes to bridge that gap with the Amazon Appstore, which remains open like Android, but only makes available the very best and most popular apps from the open market. The result: More free apps without the hassle, the best of both worlds approach.
5. Easier to hold. The 10-inch iPad is a lot of fun, but hard to handle with one hand due to its weight and size. The 6-inch Kindle reader, on the other hand, is a lot easier to hold. With only one hand, you can hold it for several hours without fatigue. The new 7-inch Kindle Fire promises the same: capable of being held with one hand, lighter than the iPad, and a lot more portable.
All of those pros don't come without sacrifices, however. The Fire's screen is 3" smaller than the iPad, which might not make it as ideal a device for watching movies or playing HD games (that's to be seen, though). Furthermore, the Fire lacks a lens and microphone, so it won't be able to snap photos, shoot video, or accept video calls.
But for $300 less, those are things I bet a lot of people can live without.
The Kindle Fire goes on sale Nov. 15 for $199
Don't let changes in technology intimidate you- visit geeksoncall.com for support
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Blake Snow
The Kindle Fire is burning up the charts.
Purported pre-sales of the newly announced Kindle Fire by Amazon suggest the tablet is on track to outsell the iPad in first-month sales. If accurate, that's big -- really big. So far, competing brands have done nothing to rival Apple's splash nor dominance of the growing tablet market. The Fire is the first real competitor.
Apple iPad sales are as brisk as ever, of course, but there's plenty of reason for the excitement surrounding the all-new, color screen, touch-enabled Kindle Fire. To borrow an Apple word, it's different. But it's also similar enough to the iPad that a lot of consumers might view it as a worthy alternative -- indeed, something better.
1. Eye-popping affordability. At $199, the Kindle Fire sells for less than half the price of the iPad, which starts at $500. So for every entry-level iPad bought and sold, you could buy two and a half Fires. That alone is turning heads, especially since the previously released and uninspired iPad clones have tried to charge as much as Apple for a much less desired product.
2. A lot more content. Content is king. And iPad may be king of the apps, but Kindle Fire bests it considerably by volume of content. The Fire will have immediate access to the 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books already available on Amazon's easy-to-browse virtual shelves.
Apple doesn't cite how many TV shows or songs are available, but the number appears to be far less in annecdotal searches.
Want to rent instead of buy? There's an app ... er, a solution for that, too: 10,000 movies and TV shows can be streamed instantly. Those numbers are huge, and growing everyday.
3. Free storage. If you want to take all your content with you, the entry-level iPad and its puny 16 gig storage drive leaves a lot to be desired. You can buy more, but it'll cost you. Which is why the Fire's sales pitch -- free cloud storage for all your Amazon content -- is so enticing, especially since Amazon is already the no. 1 digital bookstore, the no. 2 mp3 store (behind Apple), and high on the list in other categories.
For content you don't buy from Amazon, there are about 6 gigs of free space on the Fire to do with as you please.
4. Democratized apps. One of the biggest knocks on the Apple AppStore is that it's a closed system--if Apple doesn't like your stuff, no app for you. One of the biggest knocks on the Google Android software powering nearly every other tablet out there is that it's too open--you're required to sift through a lot of junk to get to the goods.
The Kindle Fire hopes to bridge that gap with the Amazon Appstore, which remains open like Android, but only makes available the very best and most popular apps from the open market. The result: More free apps without the hassle, the best of both worlds approach.
5. Easier to hold. The 10-inch iPad is a lot of fun, but hard to handle with one hand due to its weight and size. The 6-inch Kindle reader, on the other hand, is a lot easier to hold. With only one hand, you can hold it for several hours without fatigue. The new 7-inch Kindle Fire promises the same: capable of being held with one hand, lighter than the iPad, and a lot more portable.
All of those pros don't come without sacrifices, however. The Fire's screen is 3" smaller than the iPad, which might not make it as ideal a device for watching movies or playing HD games (that's to be seen, though). Furthermore, the Fire lacks a lens and microphone, so it won't be able to snap photos, shoot video, or accept video calls.
But for $300 less, those are things I bet a lot of people can live without.
The Kindle Fire goes on sale Nov. 15 for $199
Don't let changes in technology intimidate you- visit geeksoncall.com for support
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Friday, October 7, 2011
Does it Make Sense to Buy an 8GB iPhone?
http://bit.ly/odeYY7
Let our techs help with your next technology decission- visit GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/odeYY7
Let our techs help with your next technology decission- visit GeeksOnCall.com
Does it Make Sense to Buy an 8GB iPhone?
btimes.com - 10/7/2011
Clint Demeritt
The early-adopter crowd was disappointed with the announcement of the iPhone 4S instead of the iPhone 5 during Tuesday's Apple press conference. However, the frugal tech-savvy buyer had plenty to celebrate with the announcement of some cheaper iPhones.
Apple unveiled an 8GB iPhone 4 priced at $99 during the press showing, as well as a free 8GB iPhone 3GS. Both require a two-year contract to receive the special prices however. In comparison, the new iPhone 4S comes in 16GB, 32GB and a 64GB models costing $199, $299 and $399, respectively, with the two-year contract.
So are these cheaper iPhones too much of a bargain, or do they have some real value? It's best to start with what you're paying extra for in the 4S and work backward.
The iPhone 4S has some significant upgrades over the iPhone 4. The 4S received a camera upgrade with a 8-megapixel camera and 1080p video recording capability. The iPhone 4 has a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video recording. The 4S also gets Apple's dual-core A5 processor, making it twice as powerful as the 4 with seven-times-faster graphics.
The iPhone 3GS has only a 3-megapixel camera, and its video camera doesn't record in HD. The 3GS lacks the 3-axis gyroscope of the iPhone4 and 4S, but has an accelerometer. A gyroscope can sense how a device is being rotated around many axes, where an accelerometer has a fixed axis and can only measure speed of rotation.
The biggest concession the 3GS makes is it doesn't have HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access). HSUPA is just an improvement on High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technology. Simply put, the 3GS wireless data speeds are just not as fast as the iPhone4 and 4Ss. Phone calls should be fine, the 3GS just won't download and upload data like pictures and e-mails as fast and it will cost a little more to send that data.
Though the iPhone 4 and 3GS aren't as powerful as the 4S, they still share in one of the best upgrades announced during Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" press conference: the new mobile operation system, iOS 5. The biggest thing to come out of the iOS 5 is the new iCloud service, which gives users free 5GB of online media storage. The iOS 5 also comes with a new, less intrusive notification center, a new messenger app and a better camera interface.
But the iPhone 4 and 3GS won't get one of the 4S' coolest new iOS5 features, Siri. Siri is a voice assistant app that accepts more conversational commands and can perform a wide range of tasks on the iPhone. You can ask it to set your alarm clock or find a particular restaurant in the neighborhood. You can use Voice Control on the other two, you will just have to speak more like a robot, and it doesn't have as much functionality. The iPhone 4S' A5 chip is what gives it the power to run Siri.
So the final verdict is the iPhone 4 and 3GS are pretty capable devices, but if you just want the "wow" factor of the iPhone and want it just to make phone calls and play a few games, the 3GS is a great free option. However, users won't be able to take full advantage of the iCloud service, since the data exchange will be slower and more costly.
If you think you'll be doing a little more media downloading and want a few more bells and whistles, go with the iPhone 4. But if you want the best toy in town, get yourself a shiny new iPhone 4S, which comes out Oct. 14.
Also if you want an iPhone, but don't want it on Sprint, Verizon or AT&T, you can unlock the iPhone 3GS, which means you pay the unreduced price of $375. An unlocked phone will work on any GSM network as long as it has a SIM card. It just might not transmit data as fast as on the official three wireless networks.
Let our techs help with your next technology decission- visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Clint Demeritt
The early-adopter crowd was disappointed with the announcement of the iPhone 4S instead of the iPhone 5 during Tuesday's Apple press conference. However, the frugal tech-savvy buyer had plenty to celebrate with the announcement of some cheaper iPhones.
Apple unveiled an 8GB iPhone 4 priced at $99 during the press showing, as well as a free 8GB iPhone 3GS. Both require a two-year contract to receive the special prices however. In comparison, the new iPhone 4S comes in 16GB, 32GB and a 64GB models costing $199, $299 and $399, respectively, with the two-year contract.
So are these cheaper iPhones too much of a bargain, or do they have some real value? It's best to start with what you're paying extra for in the 4S and work backward.
The iPhone 4S has some significant upgrades over the iPhone 4. The 4S received a camera upgrade with a 8-megapixel camera and 1080p video recording capability. The iPhone 4 has a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video recording. The 4S also gets Apple's dual-core A5 processor, making it twice as powerful as the 4 with seven-times-faster graphics.
The iPhone 3GS has only a 3-megapixel camera, and its video camera doesn't record in HD. The 3GS lacks the 3-axis gyroscope of the iPhone4 and 4S, but has an accelerometer. A gyroscope can sense how a device is being rotated around many axes, where an accelerometer has a fixed axis and can only measure speed of rotation.
The biggest concession the 3GS makes is it doesn't have HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access). HSUPA is just an improvement on High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technology. Simply put, the 3GS wireless data speeds are just not as fast as the iPhone4 and 4Ss. Phone calls should be fine, the 3GS just won't download and upload data like pictures and e-mails as fast and it will cost a little more to send that data.
Though the iPhone 4 and 3GS aren't as powerful as the 4S, they still share in one of the best upgrades announced during Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" press conference: the new mobile operation system, iOS 5. The biggest thing to come out of the iOS 5 is the new iCloud service, which gives users free 5GB of online media storage. The iOS 5 also comes with a new, less intrusive notification center, a new messenger app and a better camera interface.
But the iPhone 4 and 3GS won't get one of the 4S' coolest new iOS5 features, Siri. Siri is a voice assistant app that accepts more conversational commands and can perform a wide range of tasks on the iPhone. You can ask it to set your alarm clock or find a particular restaurant in the neighborhood. You can use Voice Control on the other two, you will just have to speak more like a robot, and it doesn't have as much functionality. The iPhone 4S' A5 chip is what gives it the power to run Siri.
So the final verdict is the iPhone 4 and 3GS are pretty capable devices, but if you just want the "wow" factor of the iPhone and want it just to make phone calls and play a few games, the 3GS is a great free option. However, users won't be able to take full advantage of the iCloud service, since the data exchange will be slower and more costly.
If you think you'll be doing a little more media downloading and want a few more bells and whistles, go with the iPhone 4. But if you want the best toy in town, get yourself a shiny new iPhone 4S, which comes out Oct. 14.
Also if you want an iPhone, but don't want it on Sprint, Verizon or AT&T, you can unlock the iPhone 3GS, which means you pay the unreduced price of $375. An unlocked phone will work on any GSM network as long as it has a SIM card. It just might not transmit data as fast as on the official three wireless networks.
Let our techs help with your next technology decission- visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Thursday, October 6, 2011
HTC cooking up fix for security flaw http://bit.ly/p8w2Kq
Hole gives access to user's personal info- ensure you're safe geeksoncall.com
Hole gives access to user's personal info- ensure you're safe geeksoncall.com
HTC cooking up fix for security flaw
cnet.com - 10/4/2011
Lance Whitney
HTC is promising to plug a security hole in its Android phones that gives certain mobile apps access to a user's personal information.
Recently discovered by a trio of researches, the vulnerability can expose e-mail addresses, network and GPS locations, phone numbers, SMS data, and system logs to apps that connect to the Internet. The flaw exists among HTC's portfolio of Android phones, including the Evo 3D, the Evo 4G, and the Thunderbolt, and has been traced to a logging tool that HTC recently installed during a software update.
In a statement released today, HTC acknowledged the security hole in its software but tried to assuage its users about the impact.
"HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers' data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application," the company said in its statement. "A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws. So far, we have not learned of any customers being affected in this way and would like to prevent it by making sure all customers are aware of this potential vulnerability."
The company also tried to assure its users that it's hard at work developing a fix for the flaw.
"HTC is working very diligently to quickly release a security update that will resolve the issue on affected devices," the company added. "Following a short testing period by our carrier partners, the patch will be sent over-the-air to customers, who will be notified to download and install it. We urge all users to install the update promptly. During this time, as always, we strongly urge customers to use caution when downloading, using, installing and updating applications from untrusted sources."
But one of the researchers who uncovered the flaw and shared his initial findings on AndroidPolice seemed dubious about HTC's response.
In another posting at AndroidPolice, researcher Artem Russakovskii said that he "applauds" HTC's attempt to remedy the problem, but he questions whether the patch would just set up some type of "authentication scheme" that would continue to allow personal information to be sent back to HTC or mobile carriers.
"Furthermore, I'd like a clarification on what the Android VNC server, which allows remote access, is doing on affected devices," added Russakovskii. And he cited a number of other services found on HTC devices that he believes could be also be lacking in security.
Hole gives access to user's personal info- ensure you're safe geeksoncall.com
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Lance Whitney
HTC is promising to plug a security hole in its Android phones that gives certain mobile apps access to a user's personal information.
Recently discovered by a trio of researches, the vulnerability can expose e-mail addresses, network and GPS locations, phone numbers, SMS data, and system logs to apps that connect to the Internet. The flaw exists among HTC's portfolio of Android phones, including the Evo 3D, the Evo 4G, and the Thunderbolt, and has been traced to a logging tool that HTC recently installed during a software update.
In a statement released today, HTC acknowledged the security hole in its software but tried to assuage its users about the impact.
"HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers' data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application," the company said in its statement. "A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws. So far, we have not learned of any customers being affected in this way and would like to prevent it by making sure all customers are aware of this potential vulnerability."
The company also tried to assure its users that it's hard at work developing a fix for the flaw.
"HTC is working very diligently to quickly release a security update that will resolve the issue on affected devices," the company added. "Following a short testing period by our carrier partners, the patch will be sent over-the-air to customers, who will be notified to download and install it. We urge all users to install the update promptly. During this time, as always, we strongly urge customers to use caution when downloading, using, installing and updating applications from untrusted sources."
But one of the researchers who uncovered the flaw and shared his initial findings on AndroidPolice seemed dubious about HTC's response.
In another posting at AndroidPolice, researcher Artem Russakovskii said that he "applauds" HTC's attempt to remedy the problem, but he questions whether the patch would just set up some type of "authentication scheme" that would continue to allow personal information to be sent back to HTC or mobile carriers.
"Furthermore, I'd like a clarification on what the Android VNC server, which allows remote access, is doing on affected devices," added Russakovskii. And he cited a number of other services found on HTC devices that he believes could be also be lacking in security.
Hole gives access to user's personal info- ensure you're safe geeksoncall.com
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Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Apple's iOS 5 available in Oct., brings 200 new features http://bit.ly/qe8Iyk
Get assistence upgrading your apple device- call 1800-905-4335
Get assistence upgrading your apple device- call 1800-905-4335
Apple's iOS 5 available on Oct. 12, brings 200 new features
msnbc.com - 10/4/2011
Rosa Golijan
The next major release of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 5, will be available on October 12. It brings over 200 new features to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. Here's a review of some of the highlights.
Notifications: Apple listened to users' pleas for a better iOS notification system and created something called the Notifications Center. It's a central spot for all your notifications -- including those from apps -- and it can be accessed by swiping your finger down from the top of your iPhone. (This might sound rather familiar to Android users ...)
iMessage: Apple has created a new messaging service that'll work between iOS users. You'll be able to send texts, photos, videos, contacts, and group messages between the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The feature basically sounds a lot like BlackBerry Messenger and will show delivery receipts, read receipts, and typing indicators. Messages will be pushed to all your devices -- and encrypted. Of course the whole thing works over either Wi-Fi or 3G.
Reminders: This little feature is basically a central to-do list which will keep you organized. As it's location aware, it can even remind you of events based on where you are.
Twitter integration: Due to the incredible popularity of Twitter, Apple has chosen to fully integrate it into iOS. This means that you'll be able to tweet directly from the Camera, Photo, YouTube, Maps, and Contacts apps. You can even use Twitter to automatically update the photos in your contact list.
Newsstand: Apple has created something called Newsstand. It's supposed to act as a direct line to magazines, newspapers, and other media. It allows for background downloads of media and places it into something that resembles the iBooks app.
Camera: The Camera app has finally received a lock screen short cut so that you can start snapping photos even faster -- without even having to enter a passcode. As a bonus, you can now use the volume up button to take a picture. Oh, and you can pinch-to-zoom right in the Camera app.
Photo editing: You can now do basic photo editing -- such as cropping, red eye reduction, enhancements, and such -- directly on your iPhone and right out of the box.
Game Center: The iOS Game Center now has photos, the ability to compare rank and scores against your friends, a way to see friends of friends, recommended friends, and game recommendations. There will now also be turn-based games in iOS, playable on multiple devices.
Safari: Apple's giving its mobile browser some improvements such as Reader, a little feature which will kick in when you're reading a story on a website. It will basically provide you with an option to make the content easier on the eyes and provide you with a link to email the story.
Get assistence upgrading your apple device- call 1800-905-4335
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Rosa Golijan
The next major release of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 5, will be available on October 12. It brings over 200 new features to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. Here's a review of some of the highlights.
Notifications: Apple listened to users' pleas for a better iOS notification system and created something called the Notifications Center. It's a central spot for all your notifications -- including those from apps -- and it can be accessed by swiping your finger down from the top of your iPhone. (This might sound rather familiar to Android users ...)
iMessage: Apple has created a new messaging service that'll work between iOS users. You'll be able to send texts, photos, videos, contacts, and group messages between the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The feature basically sounds a lot like BlackBerry Messenger and will show delivery receipts, read receipts, and typing indicators. Messages will be pushed to all your devices -- and encrypted. Of course the whole thing works over either Wi-Fi or 3G.
Reminders: This little feature is basically a central to-do list which will keep you organized. As it's location aware, it can even remind you of events based on where you are.
Twitter integration: Due to the incredible popularity of Twitter, Apple has chosen to fully integrate it into iOS. This means that you'll be able to tweet directly from the Camera, Photo, YouTube, Maps, and Contacts apps. You can even use Twitter to automatically update the photos in your contact list.
Newsstand: Apple has created something called Newsstand. It's supposed to act as a direct line to magazines, newspapers, and other media. It allows for background downloads of media and places it into something that resembles the iBooks app.
Camera: The Camera app has finally received a lock screen short cut so that you can start snapping photos even faster -- without even having to enter a passcode. As a bonus, you can now use the volume up button to take a picture. Oh, and you can pinch-to-zoom right in the Camera app.
Photo editing: You can now do basic photo editing -- such as cropping, red eye reduction, enhancements, and such -- directly on your iPhone and right out of the box.
Game Center: The iOS Game Center now has photos, the ability to compare rank and scores against your friends, a way to see friends of friends, recommended friends, and game recommendations. There will now also be turn-based games in iOS, playable on multiple devices.
Safari: Apple's giving its mobile browser some improvements such as Reader, a little feature which will kick in when you're reading a story on a website. It will basically provide you with an option to make the content easier on the eyes and provide you with a link to email the story.
Get assistence upgrading your apple device- call 1800-905-4335
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Tuesday, October 4, 2011
iPhone 5 emails infecting Windows PCs
http://bit.ly/nVQXNQ
Protect yourself from the latest technology with our help- Visit GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/nVQXNQ
Protect yourself from the latest technology with our help- Visit GeeksOnCall.com
Beware: iPhone 5 emails infecting Windows PCs
msnbc.com - 10/3/2011
Athima Chansanchai
Taking advantage of the white-hot anticipation of Apple's big iPhone 5 reveal Tuessday, malware in the form of a preview email seems to be targeting Windows users.
Sophos' Graham Cluley posted about the lurking danger, using the Dutch-based Personal Computer Magazine's Abram Wagenaar as an example of a journalist who has been sent an email purporting to be from the official Apple camp.
While the idea of a see-through iPhone is the stuff of sci-fi dreams, nothing we've seen in the legit rumor mill even comes close to such an astounding revelation. And 5GS? That's almost more absurd. But nevertheless, we can understand how the temptation to click on the crazy can be a compulsion, especially when the buzz is so big. The target audience is there: It's predicted that 41 percent of mobile phone users are going to buy an iPhone 5.
Cluley says that for those who can't resist clicking, it "takes you to some Windows malware (lucky Mac fans are being ignored by the hackers on this occasion) which Sophos detects as Mal/Zapchas-A."
At least it sounds curable with standard anti-virus software. Sopho says that protection has been available for this variety of bug since July 2008.
Windows users have already come under attack this year with fake iPhone 5 email right around WWDC time. But that email was even more implausible, showing a built-in slide keyboard. Please, people! Think before you click.
Protect yourself from the latest technology with our help- Visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Athima Chansanchai
Taking advantage of the white-hot anticipation of Apple's big iPhone 5 reveal Tuessday, malware in the form of a preview email seems to be targeting Windows users.
Sophos' Graham Cluley posted about the lurking danger, using the Dutch-based Personal Computer Magazine's Abram Wagenaar as an example of a journalist who has been sent an email purporting to be from the official Apple camp.
While the idea of a see-through iPhone is the stuff of sci-fi dreams, nothing we've seen in the legit rumor mill even comes close to such an astounding revelation. And 5GS? That's almost more absurd. But nevertheless, we can understand how the temptation to click on the crazy can be a compulsion, especially when the buzz is so big. The target audience is there: It's predicted that 41 percent of mobile phone users are going to buy an iPhone 5.
Cluley says that for those who can't resist clicking, it "takes you to some Windows malware (lucky Mac fans are being ignored by the hackers on this occasion) which Sophos detects as Mal/Zapchas-A."
At least it sounds curable with standard anti-virus software. Sopho says that protection has been available for this variety of bug since July 2008.
Windows users have already come under attack this year with fake iPhone 5 email right around WWDC time. But that email was even more implausible, showing a built-in slide keyboard. Please, people! Think before you click.
Protect yourself from the latest technology with our help- Visit GeeksOnCall.com
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
Monday, October 3, 2011
Kindle vs Nook vs iPad
http://bit.ly/pFGKI6
Upgrading your technology? Let our Tech's help with your next purchase- visit GeeksOnCall.com
http://bit.ly/pFGKI6
Upgrading your technology? Let our Tech's help with your next purchase- visit GeeksOnCall.com
Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you buy?
Upgrading your technology? Check out this article & let our Tech's help with your next purchase- visit geeksoncall.com
cnet.com - 10/2/2011
John Falcone
Editors' note: This story was updated October 2, 2011 to reflect the latest product announcements and to address upcoming rumored products.
Amazon pretty much invented the mainstream e-book market, so it's no surprise that the company's recently announced fall product line-up has turned the market--and this buying guide--on its head. Meanwhile, imminent new products from Sony, a big new iPad software update, and rumored products from Barnes & Noble are altering the consumer e-book reader market as well.
We're in the process of updating this story from top to bottom. In the meantime, however, here's a quick cheat sheet on what you need to know about upcoming products:
New Amazon Kindles: Amazon announced three new e-ink Kindle models for fall 2011, including new touch-screen models. All are affordably priced from $79 to $189. The company has also generated huge buzz with the debut of its new color 7-inch tablet, the $199 Kindle Fire. However, most of these new products won't be out until mid- to late November. (In the meantime, the 2010 Kindle has been renamed the Kindle Keyboard, and is selling at a discount while supplies last.) Verdict: Worth waiting for. There's a lot to like about the new $79 Kindle, so we'd hold off on any buying decisions for a few weeks until we can review the step-up models--including the Kindle Fire.
New Sony Reader: Sony, a pioneer in the e-reader space, is releasing its 2011 Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 in October for $149. Verdict: Needs a price cut. We know this model offers a touch-compatible e-ink screen, Wi-Fi, audio playback capability, and support for reading library books--but the forthcoming Kindle Touch matches all of those features for $50 less.
Rumored new Barnes & Noble Nook Color: The original Nook Color was launched in October 2010, so it wouldn't be at all surprising to see a new model hit now (about a year later). There are rumors--completely unconfirmed, we must point out--that we'll see a refreshed 7-inch Nook Color, and/or a larger Nook Color for $349. Verdict: B&N needs to go big or go home. Barnes & Noble's Nook Color and $139 Nook Touch were the best readers in their respective price classes for months--with an emphasis on the "were." Amazon's aggressive new pricing means that B&N needs to announce and release any updated products ASAP, and do so at lower prices than Amazon, regardless of how it hurts profits.
Apple iPad gets iOS 5: At $499, the iPad is two to six times more expensive than the e-reader products listed above--but as a full-fledged multimedia tablet that competes with some laptops, it's really a different class of product. Nevertheless, an upcoming software update (to iOS 5) will bring even more reading options, most notable of which is the new Newsstand app--basically an app store for magazines and newspapers. Verdict: An excellent tablet is only getting better, but the iPad's comparatively large price--and size--will give bargain hunters pause as cheaper competition looms.
CNET's current recommendation: Wait The next six to eight weeks--from early October to mid-November--will completely overturn the e-book and tablet product categories. The new and updated products listed above offer the potential for more choices and better values than we've ever seen. We strongly recommend that you hold off on any buying decisions until we've gotten a chance to fully review all of these new products, and update our recommendations accordingly.
Shopping for an e-book reader? The good news is that you have more choices--at better prices--than ever before. The bad news? There are more choices than ever before. In the realm of dedicated e-book readers, the market has consolidated around a handful of major players: mainly Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with Kobo and Sony bringing up the rear. But every major tablet--including the Apple iPad 2 and nearly every Android tablet--also doubles as a reader.
So, should you get an inexpensive e-ink reader or go for a more versatile color tablet? Should you wait for rumored new versions of the Kindle or the Nook Color? Those are the dilemmas facing any shopper today. But don't worry; CNET's here to help. If you're an experienced shopper, you can jump straight to our current recommendations-or check our lists of top e-book readers and top tablets. If you're looking for a more in-depth discussion, read on to consult this quick guide, which boils the purchase decision down to seven questions:
1. Reader vs. tablet: Do you want more than just reading?
Start by asking yourself what you're really looking for. Do you just want to read books? How about magazines and newspapers? What about browsing the Web? Want to add multimedia to the mix--music, audiobooks, or video? Do you need Flash support? E-mail and messaging? Gaming?
If you want to stick with "just reading"--books, and maybe some newspapers and magazines--an e-book reader ($114 to $189) is probably your best bet. Every additional feature you add will put you on the road to a more full-featured tablet (an iPad or one of the growing number of Android tablets). A tablet is much more versatile and can replace a laptop for many tasks--but it will cost you upward of $300 to start.
Splitting the difference is the Nook Color. It's primarily a Barnes & Noble reader, but it's got a color touch screen and such tablet-esque features as e-mail, calendar, to-do lists, Web browsing, and even Flash video. The curated app store has dozens of apps--not the tens of thousands you'll find on iPad and true Android tablets--but it includes such keystone programs as Pandora, Angry Birds, and the like. In short, it will be "good enough" for many users, and its $249 price tag is half that of entry-level iPad models and most Android tablets.
Best basic e-book reader: Barnes & Noble Nook (with touch screen), Amazon Kindle (cheaper, no touch screen)
Best reading tablet for less than $250: Barnes & Noble Nook Color
Best all-around full-featured reading tablets: Apple iPad 2, Sony Tablet S, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
2. How large of a screen (and weight) do you want?
Even if you plan to never leave home with your e-book reader, you should consider its size before buying one. Since you hold the device in front of you whenever you want to read, the weight and size can be an issue.
The smallest and lightest dedicated e-book reader we've seen to date is the Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-350, which has a 5-inch touch screen and weighs just 5.5 ounces (without a case). Unfortunately, this otherwise excellent touch-screen reader lacks Wi-Fi, which makes it tough to recommend. (It's also about to be replaced by Sony's 2011 Readers.)
In the 6-inch-screen class, the 2011 Kobo weighs a bit less than 7.1 ounces (without case). The latest e-ink Nook, meanwhile, tips the scales at a very portable 7.5 ounces--more than a third lighter than the original. And the Amazon Kindle is a svelte 8.7 ounces (without case). Even with cases, all three models are light enough to hold for extended reading sessions without tiring.
The Nook Color boasts a larger 7-inch screen, but it weighs almost a full pound (15.8 ounces). There are also a smattering of 7-innch Android tablets available.
If you want a truly large screen (around 10 inches), you'll want to buy the Kindle DX, Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Sony Tablet S, or similar Android models. However, those big beautiful screens come at a price: they're comparatively heavy.
Don't get us wrong, all of these big-screen readers and tablets are far lighter than a laptop; the Kindle DX, iPad 2, Sony Tablet S, and Galaxy Tab 10.1 all weigh between 1.2 and 1.4 pounds. But unlike a laptop--which sits on a table or in your lap while in use--you'll be actively holding these readers or tablets aloft. For long reading sessions--say, more than 45 minutes or so--many users will find their fingers and arms becoming strained.
Remember, all e-book readers let you adjust the font size of the content you're reading, so even a small screen can display much larger type than you're used to seeing in a book, magazine, or newspaper. In other words, a smaller screen does not mean you need to sacrifice readability.
Lightest e-book readers: Kobo eReader Touch Edition, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook
Midsize readers/tablets: Nook Color, Samsung Galaxy Tab (7-inch), HTC Flyer
Large-screen readers/tablets: Amazon Kindle DX. Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,Sony Tablet S
3. What are your screen preferences: E-ink or color LCD?
E-ink: As close as you'll get to a printed page
Dedicated e-book readers, such as the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, and Sony Reader, use an e-ink screen. However, e-ink screens have some drawbacks: they're black and white, and the pages don't refresh as quickly as those on an LCD do. However, they do an excellent job of reproducing the look of printed paper. They're not backlit--so you can't read in the dark--but you can read them in direct sunlight, which is something you can't do on an LCD screen (a fact Amazon is keen to point out in its advertising).
If you prefer to read at night with e-ink, however, all is not lost; cases with built-in lights (such as this Kindle model) are available.
The "Pearl" screen by E Ink is now standard on all major e-ink readers. So, whether you're getting the 2011 Nook or Kobo or the 2010 Sony Reader or Kindle, you're basically getting the same exact screen. Furthermore, E Ink has confirmed that it wont't be releasing a Pearl successor before the end of 2011.
LCD: Bright, backlit--and potentially tiring
By contrast, the LCD screens found on all tablets (and the Nook Color) are bright, colorful, beautiful displays. But those advantages have trade-offs. The reflective screens on LCD tablets make it hard to read in bright light, and many people find that the backlight tires their eyes over long reading sessions.
Touch screen: All but Kindle
All tablets (iPad, Android, etc.) have touch screens, as do all current models of major brand e-ink readers--except the Kindle. That will undoubtedly change when a newer Kindle is eventually (presumably) released. But for now, if you buy the Kindle, you'll have to forgo touch-screen control.
How to choose
So, which screen is better for reading: e-ink or LCD? We can't answer that question for you. (See "LCD vs. e-ink: The eyestrain debate".) If you don't have a problem staring at your laptop or LCD monitor screen for hours on end--or if you enjoy reading in low light without an external light source--you'll probably like an LCD screen. Likewise, if you enjoy reading Web sites, magazines, and newspapers, and if you want support for interactive children's books, you'll want to go with color. However, if you prefer the look of newsprint or if you enjoy reading outside, an e-ink display is your friend.
Whether you're checking your preference for e-ink versus LCD or touch screen versus keyboard controls, we'd strongly recommend that you try a few devices before you buy one. You'll find most major e-book readers (Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers, Apple iPads, Android tablets) under one roof at your local Best Buy.
Best e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo eReader Touch Edition
Best LCD readers/tablets: Barnes & Noble Nook Color, Apple iPad 2, or any good tablet
4. Do you need always-on wireless data?
When buying many tablets and some e-book readers, you'll need to make a choice between two versions: the Wi-Fi model or the 3G version. In other words: do you want the more affordable Wi-Fi model (which requires you to be near a Wi-Fi hot spot to download books or access the Internet), or do you prefer to pay a premium--via a higher up-front price and/or a monthly bill--to add 3G access on a cellular wireless network?
If you're primarily interested in reading books, you're probably going to be fine opting for Wi-Fi-only models. You only need Wi-Fi access when you're buying new books. (E-book files are stored on the device--once downloaded, Internet access isn't necessary.) So, if you're a voracious reader, you can (for instance) buy a bunch of books, toggle off your Wi-Fi, and work your way through them at your leisure. In fact, many users keep the wireless on their readers switched off most of the time since it significantly boosts battery life.
If you're using your hardware to access anything besides e-books--magazine or newspaper subscriptions, e-mail, the Web, apps, and so forth--ubiquitous wireless access becomes more important. Still, if you're using the reader/tablet primarily at home, Wi-Fi will probably remain sufficient.
If you're a power user or frequent traveler, opting for a 3G product is worth considering.
The current Nook, Nook Color, and Kobo models are only available in Wi-Fi versions. Amazon and Sony offer more expensive step-up Kindle and Sony Reader models that offer 3G wireless. Notably, those manufacturers don't charge any extra monthly fees for the 3G data services, but it's really only useful for shopping for new books and downloading new issues of magazines and newspapers--don't expect to be surfing the Web and watching video on those e-ink screens.
Tablets, of course, offer a much wider array of media options--and, as a result, 3G (or 4G) data access is much more tempting. Many Android tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab, are available in carrier-specific versions with terms similar to that of smartphones: you get a discount on the hardware, but you'll need to sign up for a two-year contract with beefy monthly bills. (Most Android tablets now also offer contract-free Wi-Fi-only versions.)
On the 3G versions of the iPad, you'll pay a monthly fee to the cellular company (AT&T or Verizon), but it's a prepaid monthly service, not a long-term contract; in other words, you can cancel or restart any time, without paying an expensive early-termination fee. But for the privilege of 3G connectivity, the iPad costs $130 more than its respective Wi-Fi-only equivalent model.
Is 3G wireless a must-have? That's a question you'll need to answer. Just remember that--with more phones offering Wi-Fi hot-spot functionality and establishments such as Starbucks offering free Wi-Fi--there are plenty of ways to get seamless online coverage with your reading device without it having 3G network support built-in.
Best Wi-Fi e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle (Wi-Fi), Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo eReader Touch edition
Best Wi-Fi tablets: Barnes & Noble Nook Color, Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi), Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Best 3G e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle with SpecialOffers (3G/Wi-Fi), Amazon Kindle (3G/Wi-Fi)
Best 3G tablet: Apple iPad 2 (3G/Wi-Fi): Verizon or AT&T
5. Apps vs. hardware: Which reading platform offers the most flexibility?
One of the advantages of having your reading collection "in the cloud" is that you can access your books on multiple devices, though some e-book vendors offer better cross-platform support than others do.
This is where terminology can get a bit confusing: the e-book stores can be available on different devices, including (in the case of Apple) those of rival e-book publishers--the e-book equivalent of buying a can of Pepsi from a Coke vending machine.
This multidevice support is accomplished through apps. On tablets (iPad, Android, and more), smartphones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and others), and PCs (Mac and Windows), users can download free apps that let them read e-books from a variety of vendors. So, you can read a Kindle book on your iPad, a Nook book on your Android phone, or a Kobo book on your BlackBerry--and that's just for starters.
As of September 2011, here's how app support breaks down for each major e-book platform:
Kindle: Besides Kindle hardware readers, Kindle books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, Macs, Windows Phone 7 phones, and via HTML 5-compatible browsers (the Kindle Cloud Reader).
Nook: Besides Nook hardware readers, Nook books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, and Macs.
Kobo: Besides Kobo hardware readers, Kobo books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, the Palm Pre (WebOS), the BlackBerry PlayBook, Windows PCs, and Macs. Full details: smartphones, tablets, PCs/Macs.
iBooks: Apple's e-book store is currently only available on Apple iOS devices--iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.
Sony Reader: Besides Sony Reader hardware, Sony books can be accessed on Android phones, Windows PCs, and Macs. (Now that Apple has modified the terms of the App Store, we expect that the Sony Reader iOS app--originally rejected by Apple--will be modified and resubmitted.) Full details: Android phones, PCs/Macs
Nearly all of these apps allow you to sync your position in a book across devices, so if you read up to, say, Page 229 on your phone, you can pick up on that same page on your tablet or reader, and vice versa.
All of the apps are free, and--since each bookstore offers a wide selection of free books--you can freely experiment with any and all of the apps that work with your respective hardware.
Best cross-platform providers: Kindle, Nook, Kobo
Most versatile hardware readers: Apple iPad 2, Apple iPhone, Apple iPod Touch, Android phones with full Android Market support, Android tablets with full Android Market support
6. Can I check out e-books from my local library?
Many local libraries offer the ability to check out an e-book on loan--just as you can do with a regular book. Previously, support for this varied across e-readers and tablets. However, now it's basically universal. The Kindle was the last major holdout, but as of September 21, Amazon's e-reader can be used to read free library loaners as well.
Library support is generally accomplished in one of three ways (all of which, of course, require you to have an account with your local library):
For dedicated e-readers--download and sync: Users of the Nook, Kobo, and Sony Readers can download e-book files from their local library's Web site and transfer them to the readers via a USB cable. You'll need free software such as Adobe Digital Editions to complete the process. The video below details the process on the Nook, but the process is similar on Kobo, Sony, and other EPUB-compatible readers. (You can also do a version of USB sync for the Kindle--see below.)
Get free library books on your Nook
For tablets, smartphones, and computers--OverDrive Media Console: If you're reading on a tablet (iPad or Android), a smartphone (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7), or a computer (Windows or Mac), reading e-books from the library is far simpler. Just install the free OverDrive Media Console app. OverDrive will allow you to download and read library e-books--and MP3 audiobooks--within the app itself, without the need to sync up with a computer. (See the video below for more information.)
Get free e-books from the library
For Amazon Kindle (hardware or app): Amazon partnered with OverDrive to enable library lending, and the result is pretty seamless. Choose the e-book from the Web site of your local library, add the Kindle version to the cart, and check out. You'll be redirected to the book's corresponding Amazon page, where you can automatically send it to your Kindle reader or app (next time you sync via Wi-Fi), or you can download the file and sync via USB.
Current recommendations
Our current buying recommendations are listed below. However, anyone in the market for a new e-book reader or tablet should note these major (rumored) product updates:
New Kindles? The 2010 Amazon Kindle is now more than a year old (it debuted in late July 2010), and is ripe to be replaced at any time. In fact, Amazon has scheduled a press event on September 28, at which we expect the company to announce a new tablet or e-ink reader (which follows a series of credible rumors).
New Nook Color? The original Nook Color hit stores in November 2010. We were expecting a replacement soon, and there are rumors one or two new Nook Colors could hit very soon.
New Sony Readers: This one's not a rumor. Sony has confirmed that it will be releasing new 2011 Readers in October.
Given the likelihood of one or more disruptive new products hitting the market, CNET strongly recommends that you delay purchasing an e-book reader or reading tablet until later in the autumn. At the very least, wait to see what Amazon will be revealing on September 28.
With that above caveat in mind: As of September 2011, CNET recommends two e-ink e-book readers, one 7-inch LCD reading tablet, and one full-size LCD tablet.
Best overall e-ink reader: Barnes & Noble Nook. The 2011 Nook delivers the best touch-screen e-ink reading experience you can get at the current time, and it sells for an affordable $139.
Best bargain e-ink reader: Amazon Kindle with Special Offers. Unlike the Nook, the Kindle supports audio (Audible audiobooks, MP3 playback, and text-to-voice autonarration). And, as of September 21, 2011, the Kindle can now access free loaner books from thousands of local libraries (as the Nook does). However, the Kindle is now the only major reader that does not offer a touch screen. As mentioned above, we expect a touch-screen Kindle to be released before the end of 2011. In the meantime, though, the entry-level Wi-Fi Kindle can be had for just $114.
Best sub-$250 color e-reader: Barnes & Noble Nook Color. Though it's not as versatile as the iPad or most Android tablets, its latest software update adds a bevy of great apps (including e-mail and Flash video), and the price is literally half that of those more expensive tablets.
Best full-featured reading tablet: Apple iPad 2. If you want a more full-featured tablet that can double as an e-book reader, the Apple iPad 2 is currently the best choice. It offers free Kindle, Nook, and Kobo reading apps, with full access to the content in those e-book stores. (Additionally, the iPad offers Apple's own iBooks application, though those e-books can't be accessed on any non-iOS device.) Android tablets also double as good e-book readers, with those same three major e-book apps available. The Sony Tablet S and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are currently our top-rated Android tablets.
Depending on what features are important to you--color versus black-and-white screen, backlight versus readability in the sun, touch screen versus not, cheap versus expensive, 3G versus Wi-Fi, lightweight versus heavy, reading-only versus full-featured--the device you prefer may be different from ours. However, there's no arguing that the range of choices for e-book readers is better and more affordable now than it ever has been.
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
cnet.com - 10/2/2011
John Falcone
Editors' note: This story was updated October 2, 2011 to reflect the latest product announcements and to address upcoming rumored products.
Amazon pretty much invented the mainstream e-book market, so it's no surprise that the company's recently announced fall product line-up has turned the market--and this buying guide--on its head. Meanwhile, imminent new products from Sony, a big new iPad software update, and rumored products from Barnes & Noble are altering the consumer e-book reader market as well.
We're in the process of updating this story from top to bottom. In the meantime, however, here's a quick cheat sheet on what you need to know about upcoming products:
New Amazon Kindles: Amazon announced three new e-ink Kindle models for fall 2011, including new touch-screen models. All are affordably priced from $79 to $189. The company has also generated huge buzz with the debut of its new color 7-inch tablet, the $199 Kindle Fire. However, most of these new products won't be out until mid- to late November. (In the meantime, the 2010 Kindle has been renamed the Kindle Keyboard, and is selling at a discount while supplies last.) Verdict: Worth waiting for. There's a lot to like about the new $79 Kindle, so we'd hold off on any buying decisions for a few weeks until we can review the step-up models--including the Kindle Fire.
New Sony Reader: Sony, a pioneer in the e-reader space, is releasing its 2011 Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 in October for $149. Verdict: Needs a price cut. We know this model offers a touch-compatible e-ink screen, Wi-Fi, audio playback capability, and support for reading library books--but the forthcoming Kindle Touch matches all of those features for $50 less.
Rumored new Barnes & Noble Nook Color: The original Nook Color was launched in October 2010, so it wouldn't be at all surprising to see a new model hit now (about a year later). There are rumors--completely unconfirmed, we must point out--that we'll see a refreshed 7-inch Nook Color, and/or a larger Nook Color for $349. Verdict: B&N needs to go big or go home. Barnes & Noble's Nook Color and $139 Nook Touch were the best readers in their respective price classes for months--with an emphasis on the "were." Amazon's aggressive new pricing means that B&N needs to announce and release any updated products ASAP, and do so at lower prices than Amazon, regardless of how it hurts profits.
Apple iPad gets iOS 5: At $499, the iPad is two to six times more expensive than the e-reader products listed above--but as a full-fledged multimedia tablet that competes with some laptops, it's really a different class of product. Nevertheless, an upcoming software update (to iOS 5) will bring even more reading options, most notable of which is the new Newsstand app--basically an app store for magazines and newspapers. Verdict: An excellent tablet is only getting better, but the iPad's comparatively large price--and size--will give bargain hunters pause as cheaper competition looms.
CNET's current recommendation: Wait The next six to eight weeks--from early October to mid-November--will completely overturn the e-book and tablet product categories. The new and updated products listed above offer the potential for more choices and better values than we've ever seen. We strongly recommend that you hold off on any buying decisions until we've gotten a chance to fully review all of these new products, and update our recommendations accordingly.
Shopping for an e-book reader? The good news is that you have more choices--at better prices--than ever before. The bad news? There are more choices than ever before. In the realm of dedicated e-book readers, the market has consolidated around a handful of major players: mainly Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with Kobo and Sony bringing up the rear. But every major tablet--including the Apple iPad 2 and nearly every Android tablet--also doubles as a reader.
So, should you get an inexpensive e-ink reader or go for a more versatile color tablet? Should you wait for rumored new versions of the Kindle or the Nook Color? Those are the dilemmas facing any shopper today. But don't worry; CNET's here to help. If you're an experienced shopper, you can jump straight to our current recommendations-or check our lists of top e-book readers and top tablets. If you're looking for a more in-depth discussion, read on to consult this quick guide, which boils the purchase decision down to seven questions:
1. Reader vs. tablet: Do you want more than just reading?
Start by asking yourself what you're really looking for. Do you just want to read books? How about magazines and newspapers? What about browsing the Web? Want to add multimedia to the mix--music, audiobooks, or video? Do you need Flash support? E-mail and messaging? Gaming?
If you want to stick with "just reading"--books, and maybe some newspapers and magazines--an e-book reader ($114 to $189) is probably your best bet. Every additional feature you add will put you on the road to a more full-featured tablet (an iPad or one of the growing number of Android tablets). A tablet is much more versatile and can replace a laptop for many tasks--but it will cost you upward of $300 to start.
Splitting the difference is the Nook Color. It's primarily a Barnes & Noble reader, but it's got a color touch screen and such tablet-esque features as e-mail, calendar, to-do lists, Web browsing, and even Flash video. The curated app store has dozens of apps--not the tens of thousands you'll find on iPad and true Android tablets--but it includes such keystone programs as Pandora, Angry Birds, and the like. In short, it will be "good enough" for many users, and its $249 price tag is half that of entry-level iPad models and most Android tablets.
Best basic e-book reader: Barnes & Noble Nook (with touch screen), Amazon Kindle (cheaper, no touch screen)
Best reading tablet for less than $250: Barnes & Noble Nook Color
Best all-around full-featured reading tablets: Apple iPad 2, Sony Tablet S, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
2. How large of a screen (and weight) do you want?
Even if you plan to never leave home with your e-book reader, you should consider its size before buying one. Since you hold the device in front of you whenever you want to read, the weight and size can be an issue.
The smallest and lightest dedicated e-book reader we've seen to date is the Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-350, which has a 5-inch touch screen and weighs just 5.5 ounces (without a case). Unfortunately, this otherwise excellent touch-screen reader lacks Wi-Fi, which makes it tough to recommend. (It's also about to be replaced by Sony's 2011 Readers.)
In the 6-inch-screen class, the 2011 Kobo weighs a bit less than 7.1 ounces (without case). The latest e-ink Nook, meanwhile, tips the scales at a very portable 7.5 ounces--more than a third lighter than the original. And the Amazon Kindle is a svelte 8.7 ounces (without case). Even with cases, all three models are light enough to hold for extended reading sessions without tiring.
The Nook Color boasts a larger 7-inch screen, but it weighs almost a full pound (15.8 ounces). There are also a smattering of 7-innch Android tablets available.
If you want a truly large screen (around 10 inches), you'll want to buy the Kindle DX, Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Sony Tablet S, or similar Android models. However, those big beautiful screens come at a price: they're comparatively heavy.
Don't get us wrong, all of these big-screen readers and tablets are far lighter than a laptop; the Kindle DX, iPad 2, Sony Tablet S, and Galaxy Tab 10.1 all weigh between 1.2 and 1.4 pounds. But unlike a laptop--which sits on a table or in your lap while in use--you'll be actively holding these readers or tablets aloft. For long reading sessions--say, more than 45 minutes or so--many users will find their fingers and arms becoming strained.
Remember, all e-book readers let you adjust the font size of the content you're reading, so even a small screen can display much larger type than you're used to seeing in a book, magazine, or newspaper. In other words, a smaller screen does not mean you need to sacrifice readability.
Lightest e-book readers: Kobo eReader Touch Edition, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook
Midsize readers/tablets: Nook Color, Samsung Galaxy Tab (7-inch), HTC Flyer
Large-screen readers/tablets: Amazon Kindle DX. Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,Sony Tablet S
3. What are your screen preferences: E-ink or color LCD?
E-ink: As close as you'll get to a printed page
Dedicated e-book readers, such as the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, and Sony Reader, use an e-ink screen. However, e-ink screens have some drawbacks: they're black and white, and the pages don't refresh as quickly as those on an LCD do. However, they do an excellent job of reproducing the look of printed paper. They're not backlit--so you can't read in the dark--but you can read them in direct sunlight, which is something you can't do on an LCD screen (a fact Amazon is keen to point out in its advertising).
If you prefer to read at night with e-ink, however, all is not lost; cases with built-in lights (such as this Kindle model) are available.
The "Pearl" screen by E Ink is now standard on all major e-ink readers. So, whether you're getting the 2011 Nook or Kobo or the 2010 Sony Reader or Kindle, you're basically getting the same exact screen. Furthermore, E Ink has confirmed that it wont't be releasing a Pearl successor before the end of 2011.
LCD: Bright, backlit--and potentially tiring
By contrast, the LCD screens found on all tablets (and the Nook Color) are bright, colorful, beautiful displays. But those advantages have trade-offs. The reflective screens on LCD tablets make it hard to read in bright light, and many people find that the backlight tires their eyes over long reading sessions.
Touch screen: All but Kindle
All tablets (iPad, Android, etc.) have touch screens, as do all current models of major brand e-ink readers--except the Kindle. That will undoubtedly change when a newer Kindle is eventually (presumably) released. But for now, if you buy the Kindle, you'll have to forgo touch-screen control.
How to choose
So, which screen is better for reading: e-ink or LCD? We can't answer that question for you. (See "LCD vs. e-ink: The eyestrain debate".) If you don't have a problem staring at your laptop or LCD monitor screen for hours on end--or if you enjoy reading in low light without an external light source--you'll probably like an LCD screen. Likewise, if you enjoy reading Web sites, magazines, and newspapers, and if you want support for interactive children's books, you'll want to go with color. However, if you prefer the look of newsprint or if you enjoy reading outside, an e-ink display is your friend.
Whether you're checking your preference for e-ink versus LCD or touch screen versus keyboard controls, we'd strongly recommend that you try a few devices before you buy one. You'll find most major e-book readers (Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers, Apple iPads, Android tablets) under one roof at your local Best Buy.
Best e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo eReader Touch Edition
Best LCD readers/tablets: Barnes & Noble Nook Color, Apple iPad 2, or any good tablet
4. Do you need always-on wireless data?
When buying many tablets and some e-book readers, you'll need to make a choice between two versions: the Wi-Fi model or the 3G version. In other words: do you want the more affordable Wi-Fi model (which requires you to be near a Wi-Fi hot spot to download books or access the Internet), or do you prefer to pay a premium--via a higher up-front price and/or a monthly bill--to add 3G access on a cellular wireless network?
If you're primarily interested in reading books, you're probably going to be fine opting for Wi-Fi-only models. You only need Wi-Fi access when you're buying new books. (E-book files are stored on the device--once downloaded, Internet access isn't necessary.) So, if you're a voracious reader, you can (for instance) buy a bunch of books, toggle off your Wi-Fi, and work your way through them at your leisure. In fact, many users keep the wireless on their readers switched off most of the time since it significantly boosts battery life.
If you're using your hardware to access anything besides e-books--magazine or newspaper subscriptions, e-mail, the Web, apps, and so forth--ubiquitous wireless access becomes more important. Still, if you're using the reader/tablet primarily at home, Wi-Fi will probably remain sufficient.
If you're a power user or frequent traveler, opting for a 3G product is worth considering.
The current Nook, Nook Color, and Kobo models are only available in Wi-Fi versions. Amazon and Sony offer more expensive step-up Kindle and Sony Reader models that offer 3G wireless. Notably, those manufacturers don't charge any extra monthly fees for the 3G data services, but it's really only useful for shopping for new books and downloading new issues of magazines and newspapers--don't expect to be surfing the Web and watching video on those e-ink screens.
Tablets, of course, offer a much wider array of media options--and, as a result, 3G (or 4G) data access is much more tempting. Many Android tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab, are available in carrier-specific versions with terms similar to that of smartphones: you get a discount on the hardware, but you'll need to sign up for a two-year contract with beefy monthly bills. (Most Android tablets now also offer contract-free Wi-Fi-only versions.)
On the 3G versions of the iPad, you'll pay a monthly fee to the cellular company (AT&T or Verizon), but it's a prepaid monthly service, not a long-term contract; in other words, you can cancel or restart any time, without paying an expensive early-termination fee. But for the privilege of 3G connectivity, the iPad costs $130 more than its respective Wi-Fi-only equivalent model.
Is 3G wireless a must-have? That's a question you'll need to answer. Just remember that--with more phones offering Wi-Fi hot-spot functionality and establishments such as Starbucks offering free Wi-Fi--there are plenty of ways to get seamless online coverage with your reading device without it having 3G network support built-in.
Best Wi-Fi e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle (Wi-Fi), Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo eReader Touch edition
Best Wi-Fi tablets: Barnes & Noble Nook Color, Apple iPad 2 (Wi-Fi), Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Best 3G e-ink readers: Amazon Kindle with SpecialOffers (3G/Wi-Fi), Amazon Kindle (3G/Wi-Fi)
Best 3G tablet: Apple iPad 2 (3G/Wi-Fi): Verizon or AT&T
5. Apps vs. hardware: Which reading platform offers the most flexibility?
One of the advantages of having your reading collection "in the cloud" is that you can access your books on multiple devices, though some e-book vendors offer better cross-platform support than others do.
This is where terminology can get a bit confusing: the e-book stores can be available on different devices, including (in the case of Apple) those of rival e-book publishers--the e-book equivalent of buying a can of Pepsi from a Coke vending machine.
This multidevice support is accomplished through apps. On tablets (iPad, Android, and more), smartphones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and others), and PCs (Mac and Windows), users can download free apps that let them read e-books from a variety of vendors. So, you can read a Kindle book on your iPad, a Nook book on your Android phone, or a Kobo book on your BlackBerry--and that's just for starters.
As of September 2011, here's how app support breaks down for each major e-book platform:
Kindle: Besides Kindle hardware readers, Kindle books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, Macs, Windows Phone 7 phones, and via HTML 5-compatible browsers (the Kindle Cloud Reader).
Nook: Besides Nook hardware readers, Nook books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, and Macs.
Kobo: Besides Kobo hardware readers, Kobo books can be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later), Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, the Palm Pre (WebOS), the BlackBerry PlayBook, Windows PCs, and Macs. Full details: smartphones, tablets, PCs/Macs.
iBooks: Apple's e-book store is currently only available on Apple iOS devices--iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.
Sony Reader: Besides Sony Reader hardware, Sony books can be accessed on Android phones, Windows PCs, and Macs. (Now that Apple has modified the terms of the App Store, we expect that the Sony Reader iOS app--originally rejected by Apple--will be modified and resubmitted.) Full details: Android phones, PCs/Macs
Nearly all of these apps allow you to sync your position in a book across devices, so if you read up to, say, Page 229 on your phone, you can pick up on that same page on your tablet or reader, and vice versa.
All of the apps are free, and--since each bookstore offers a wide selection of free books--you can freely experiment with any and all of the apps that work with your respective hardware.
Best cross-platform providers: Kindle, Nook, Kobo
Most versatile hardware readers: Apple iPad 2, Apple iPhone, Apple iPod Touch, Android phones with full Android Market support, Android tablets with full Android Market support
6. Can I check out e-books from my local library?
Many local libraries offer the ability to check out an e-book on loan--just as you can do with a regular book. Previously, support for this varied across e-readers and tablets. However, now it's basically universal. The Kindle was the last major holdout, but as of September 21, Amazon's e-reader can be used to read free library loaners as well.
Library support is generally accomplished in one of three ways (all of which, of course, require you to have an account with your local library):
For dedicated e-readers--download and sync: Users of the Nook, Kobo, and Sony Readers can download e-book files from their local library's Web site and transfer them to the readers via a USB cable. You'll need free software such as Adobe Digital Editions to complete the process. The video below details the process on the Nook, but the process is similar on Kobo, Sony, and other EPUB-compatible readers. (You can also do a version of USB sync for the Kindle--see below.)
Get free library books on your Nook
For tablets, smartphones, and computers--OverDrive Media Console: If you're reading on a tablet (iPad or Android), a smartphone (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7), or a computer (Windows or Mac), reading e-books from the library is far simpler. Just install the free OverDrive Media Console app. OverDrive will allow you to download and read library e-books--and MP3 audiobooks--within the app itself, without the need to sync up with a computer. (See the video below for more information.)
Get free e-books from the library
For Amazon Kindle (hardware or app): Amazon partnered with OverDrive to enable library lending, and the result is pretty seamless. Choose the e-book from the Web site of your local library, add the Kindle version to the cart, and check out. You'll be redirected to the book's corresponding Amazon page, where you can automatically send it to your Kindle reader or app (next time you sync via Wi-Fi), or you can download the file and sync via USB.
Current recommendations
Our current buying recommendations are listed below. However, anyone in the market for a new e-book reader or tablet should note these major (rumored) product updates:
New Kindles? The 2010 Amazon Kindle is now more than a year old (it debuted in late July 2010), and is ripe to be replaced at any time. In fact, Amazon has scheduled a press event on September 28, at which we expect the company to announce a new tablet or e-ink reader (which follows a series of credible rumors).
New Nook Color? The original Nook Color hit stores in November 2010. We were expecting a replacement soon, and there are rumors one or two new Nook Colors could hit very soon.
New Sony Readers: This one's not a rumor. Sony has confirmed that it will be releasing new 2011 Readers in October.
Given the likelihood of one or more disruptive new products hitting the market, CNET strongly recommends that you delay purchasing an e-book reader or reading tablet until later in the autumn. At the very least, wait to see what Amazon will be revealing on September 28.
With that above caveat in mind: As of September 2011, CNET recommends two e-ink e-book readers, one 7-inch LCD reading tablet, and one full-size LCD tablet.
Best overall e-ink reader: Barnes & Noble Nook. The 2011 Nook delivers the best touch-screen e-ink reading experience you can get at the current time, and it sells for an affordable $139.
Best bargain e-ink reader: Amazon Kindle with Special Offers. Unlike the Nook, the Kindle supports audio (Audible audiobooks, MP3 playback, and text-to-voice autonarration). And, as of September 21, 2011, the Kindle can now access free loaner books from thousands of local libraries (as the Nook does). However, the Kindle is now the only major reader that does not offer a touch screen. As mentioned above, we expect a touch-screen Kindle to be released before the end of 2011. In the meantime, though, the entry-level Wi-Fi Kindle can be had for just $114.
Best sub-$250 color e-reader: Barnes & Noble Nook Color. Though it's not as versatile as the iPad or most Android tablets, its latest software update adds a bevy of great apps (including e-mail and Flash video), and the price is literally half that of those more expensive tablets.
Best full-featured reading tablet: Apple iPad 2. If you want a more full-featured tablet that can double as an e-book reader, the Apple iPad 2 is currently the best choice. It offers free Kindle, Nook, and Kobo reading apps, with full access to the content in those e-book stores. (Additionally, the iPad offers Apple's own iBooks application, though those e-books can't be accessed on any non-iOS device.) Android tablets also double as good e-book readers, with those same three major e-book apps available. The Sony Tablet S and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are currently our top-rated Android tablets.
Depending on what features are important to you--color versus black-and-white screen, backlight versus readability in the sun, touch screen versus not, cheap versus expensive, 3G versus Wi-Fi, lightweight versus heavy, reading-only versus full-featured--the device you prefer may be different from ours. However, there's no arguing that the range of choices for e-book readers is better and more affordable now than it ever has been.
Keywords: geeksoncall, geeks on call, geeksoncall.com, 800-905-geek, computer repair, computer service, home computer repair, home computer service, information technology, business network service, virus removal, network, wireless network, facebook, safety, analyze computer, internet explorer, malware, gmail, productivity...
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